Interludes Part 2
by rinabina
Summary: A new take on my original Interludes that takes the events of Winter into account. Quiet moments between each of the couples as the start their lives together. Love, lust, laughter and happiness to follow.
1. Cress

Disclaimer: All characters and previous events belong to Marissa Meyer and The Lunar Chronicles

Author's Note: Take 2! Post-Winter, cannon edition! As a note...these are a little sexier than the last batch. Upping the rating.

Interludes Prt. 2

Cress

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Cress jerked awake suddenly.

Her ears were ringing and her mouth was dry. She must have been deeply asleep. She placed a hand over her chest, trying to soothe her heart while she attempted to piece together her surroundings. The constant, deep hum of the _Rampion_ was blasting in her ears and she squelched down the feeling of terror that she was somewhere she wasn't supposed to be.

Her legs were twisted in her bed clothes and she tugged her nightshirt down from her neck - a fine, rose pink, silky garment that Iko had let her steal from the palace. Although, "stealing" was a little harsh when the Counselor to the Lunar Queen had given it to her in a wrapped box with ribbon and tissue.

The rest of her sparse belongings rattled quietly inside the cabinet next to her bunk. Her clothes were hanging from a pipe overhead, wavering slightly with the motion of the ship and the slow gusts of air through the vent.

What had woken her? She instinctively touched the side of her stomach, where she could still feel the indentation of her scar. No pain, and there hadn't been for a few weeks. Not since the crew had all started their Letumosis assignment on the _Rampion_. If anything, her arms were sore from stacking the newest shipment of vaccines.

There was a knock on her door and she nearly jumped out of her skin. She sat bolt upright and clutched the sheets to her chest.

"Hello?" Cress asked, unable to hide the panic in her voice. She sucked in deep lungfuls of air.

"It's me."

 _Thorne_. The relief was instant. Of _course_ it was Thorne. Who else would it be? She practically melted back into her pillow. Was his knock what had woken her to begin with?

Spades. Thorne was knocking on her door in the middle of the night. Thorne, who loved her. Thorne, who she was alone with on the ship.

Her heart started to gallop.

"Hang on," she said, loud enough for him to hopefully hear. When she slipped out of her covers, she stared down at her bare feet and legs. Was this...inappropriate? Surely not more inappropriate than her orange butterfly outfit at the palace.

Cress shook her head and got to her feet. The cold steel of the floor stung her feet like ice and she tip-toed to the door. He was leaning against the doorframe as the panel slid open between them.

He caught her glance through his lashes. "Hey there, gorgeous. Do you come here often?"

His tone was teasing, but he still made her body blush from head to toe. He thought she was _gorgeous._ He wasn't a bad specimen either, not that he would ever fail to admit that himself.

The lights in the ship had dimmed automatically after curfew and the hallway behind him was dark. Thorne was illuminated from the small light above her door. She marvelled at him, and the delicate features of his face. The gold tips of his eyelashes, the way his whiskers caught the light, and the delicious smirk on his lips.

"Hi." It was an exhale. As the words left her mouth, his smile grew until his eyes crinkled.

A week ago when they had boarded the ship together, he told her to pick a bunk. She had chosen the one closest to his quarters while Scarlet and Wolf populated the other end of the hall. As she was about to leave his side to arrange her things, he had reached for her hand. "I thought this would be right...is it right? I don't want you far away but everything is so new. I mean…" He sighed and dropped his chin to his chest, obviously frustrated. "I don't know what I'm doing. I thought you would want your own space. Is that okay?"

Cress had stepped towards him and wrapped her arms slowly around his neck. Thorne visibly relaxed into her embrace, pulling her tight against his body. "It's okay," she said, before kissing him.

Now that quite a few days had passed, Cress understood his dilemma. While she could admit that the flat out _terror_ she used to feel when they were alone together had vanished, she now had a pleasant, nervous bubble in her chest. It seemed to intensify at night when they were apart.

She smiled up at the captain. "Can I help you?"

He pushed his lips to one side and tapped his chin comically. "Hmmm…"

It was only now that she noticed he was wearing sleeping clothes. Loose, thin pants that clung to his hips in a way she wasn't entirely prepared for. His cotton shirt looked worn and soft. She wanted to touch it.

She did.

He covered her hand with his, and pressed it hard into his chest. She could feel the stiff edges of the bandages around his fingers, or lack thereof. The thought of his injured hand still made her heart hurt, but she tried her best to push the feeling away.

Eventually. Someday, it would all be a distant memory.

"Well," Thorne started, tapping his finger on the top of her hand. "I'm going to admit, I don't fully know how to answer your question." His smile was a little flustered, and he looked down at their hands.

"Oh?"

When he looked back up, his cheeks were tinged red. It was an unusual look for him. He cleared his throat. "I'm going to rely on the fact that you trust me when I ask you this...but...will you come to my room?"

She couldn't help her eyebrows from shooting upwards. _His room_?

His face smoothed out into his well-worn mask of confidence and he pointed a finger at her. "I know what you're thinking, of course. ' _Captain Thorne isn't the kind of man who has to_ ask _girls to his room.'_ Now Cress, maybe a few years ago that was true, but…" He met her eyes and they seemed to glimmer at her in a way she'd come to associate with his feelings for her. "Well, that was before I was a respectable war hero, wasn't it?"

Cress rolled her eyes at him. He still hid behind his sarcasm, even now, but she could see through it. He was nervous. She began to ponder his original question.

She had been in his room, of course, many times. Mostly to put drops in his eyes. There were a lot of things displayed on the shelves, a large attached washroom, a wide, soft rug and...a bed. A big bed. A comfortable bed.

As she watched him, waiting for a real explanation, Thorne lifted their joined hands to his lips and kissed the top of her hand, her wrist, her palm. Her knees shook threateningly under her gown. She drew a shaky breath.

"I keep having nightmares about being separated. And about what...happened." His voice was as soft as she had ever heard it, and she squeezed his hand. His false bravado crumbled around them. "I _know_ you're here, safe in your room, but each time it carves a hole in my chest. I can't sleep."

"Thorne," she said, stepping forward. With his other hand he pulled her closer. She lifted her chin and wordlessly asked for a kiss. He complied.

He smelled like sleep and him, and something more. Something musky. Maybe it was the shirt.

"I can't go anywhere, we're in space."

He rolled his eyes. "When you put it that way..."

"What can I do?" she said, before curling deeper into his arms and pressing her cheek to his chest. His heart beat steadily in her ear.

"Come to my room. Please." The soft voice again. It was a tender plea, a moment of admitted vulnerability from the man who once claimed to be untouchable. "I know it's inappropriate and a lot to ask but...I'm not going to try anything. I promise. I mean, I _will_ probably kiss you somewhere around the realm of 'a lot' but I don't imagine you protesting to that."

She hid her face in the soft fabric of her shirt. "No, I won't protest to that."

"So...will you? My feet are cold."

Cress giggled. "Mine too. Um…" she looked up at his face, feeling suddenly so young and so naive and so...inexperienced. Was this even normal behavior? They weren't strangers anymore, necessarily, and they _were_ in love. But then, he had never overstayed his welcome in her room on Luna. Not even when she was convalescing and needed tending to. After a lengthy goodnight he had always excused himself to his room across the hall. With a gulp, she forced herself to focus on the warm, sure strength of his arms as they held her, the gentle tone of his voice in her ear. She trusted him. "Okay."

He let out a breath as he said, "Thank stars." He tugged her through the door with their joined hands and lead her down the passageway without another word. His quarters were only down the hall, a mere few paces from her door. He keyed in the code to his room and pulled her inside.

When they reached the center of the space, Thorne turned to face her with an embarrassed and amused look on his face. He lifted his hand and scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

"So, I forgot to stress that this would mostly involve us sleeping in the same bed. That's kind of a big thing. I probably should have mentioned that before, in your room. Did I say we'd be sleeping?"

Even though she was far from sleepy and terrified of what the future of their relationship would look like (especially when it came to _BEDS_ ), Cress bravely reached forward and tugged at his shirt with both of her hands. He chuckled as he stumbled into her, but leaned down to skillfully capture her lips. His hands cradled her head on either side of her neck, calluses scratching her sensitive skin.

She spread out her fingers against his chest, feeling the tautness of muscle, as well as the curve of his ribs. He was so... _strong._ So broad. So tall. The thought of getting to know him this way was almost more than she could comprehend. To know the feel of his strong shoulders under her hands, the wiry hair on his arms, or the warmth of his palms on her cheeks. How on earth would she ever catalog it all?

"Aces," Thorne breathed over her lips between kisses.

If he felt her knees give out slightly, he didn't seem to notice. His hands slid further around her neck, into her hair so he could tip her head back to deepen the kiss. Her chest was so full, she felt as though she would float away from him like a balloon, and he would have to pull her back down to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist to hold her to the ground.

She pulled away enough to kiss the corner of his lips, then his chin, and the hard line of his jaw. He let out a shaky breath and leaned into her touch. She felt him murmur against her temple and she worked her way down to his neck. " _Cress_ ," he sighed.

His skin was warm, and his stubble pricked her lips. He smelled so good.

"Cress," he said again, this time a warning.

She pulled back with a gasp. "Sorry, did I do something wrong?"

He laughed loudly. "No. Heavens above, no."

"Then...what?"

He leaned close so their noses touched. His erratic breaths beat heavily on her moist lips. "I said that we would be sleeping in here. You're making that a _very_ difficult promise to keep."

Cress bit down hard on her lip to hid a wide grin. "Oh." The air was crackling around them like a lightning storm. All she could think about was kissing him like that, just to see what would happen each time she moved her lips.

They hadn't had much time _alone_ alone, since leaving Luna. Scarlet and Wolf had been their crewmates until a day ago, when Scarlet requested a few days at the farm to check on everything. Thorne naively expected Wolf to stay on, but even Cress knew that was an impossibility. She and the Captain were currently on their way back to Luna for the next batch of antidotes, and when they returned, they would retrieve their crewmates from Rieux.

On earth, when they had been working, Thorne would check in on her with a warm hand on her shoulder, or a kiss to her cheek. He was taking his new job very seriously and she'd never been more proud of him. In the evenings, back on board the ship, she could see the lines of worry on his face. She wanted to go to him, or to offer him some comfort, but she didn't know how. Not yet. Eventually she would learn. It had been several days since she'd been gathered in his arms and reduced to a silly, love-struck girl.

"I'm going to get a drink of water," she said eventually, nodding towards the washroom.

"Okay," he said, pressing a kiss to her hair and releasing her. "I'll, er...well, I'll be in bed." Even he couldn't resist a wide grin and waggling of his eyebrows.

She snorted and walked quickly into the next room to compose herself. Her reflection met her the mirror above the sink. A blatant look of happiness was plastered across her features and practically radiating from skin. She allowed herself a dreamy sigh, and leaned towards the sink to capture some water in her cupped hands. When she had finished, she pressed her damp fingers to her face and let them cool her skin.

She was in Captain Carswell Thorne's bedroom. The man she had loved for months, who now loved her back. He was in bed, and she was supposed to climb next to him like it was the most natural thing in the world. How on earth was she supposed to do that without looking like a complete fool?

Her reflection was now staring back at her with wide eyes and a slack mouth. She pulled her fingers away, wiped her face with a towel, then turned away. _She was the Captain's lover. She belonged in this room. She was an elegant, coordinated human being._

When she turned the corner, back into his quarters, she froze. He was sitting up against a stack of pillows, fiddling with his portscreen. Her portscreen, if she wanted to be exact about it. The room was dark now, illuminated only by dim overhead lights and the blue screen in his hands. He looked up at her and smiled.

"Do I need to take you back to your room?" he asked, teasingly, even though she knew that he would if she asked.

"No," and with more bravery than she thought she had, she walked over to the empty side of the bed. There were two bunched up pillows, and he'd already pulled back to the blankets. He was watching her with an amused smile on his face.

"So you're the one who's been hoarding the pillows," she quipped with a grin.

Thorne smirked proudly. "It is _my_ ship, after all." He eyed her after a moment and patted the sheets next to him. "We have slept beside one another before, you know," he said, offering her a warm smile. "In fact, if I remember correctly, you've actually slept in my arms."

With a helpless sigh, she sunk down onto the bed and hid herself under the covers in one quick motion. She wanted to cover her face as she remembered that fevered night, waking up tight in his embrace, the way he pulled her closer… And of course, the bittersweet knowledge that it meant nothing at the time. "In the _desert_ ," she clarified, after a long moment. The sheet billowed up around her face as she spoke. "When we were both half delirious and before you cared about me."

Thorne was silent. She felt the mattress shift and heard the portscreen being placed on the nightstand beside his bed. Then he was pulling down the covers from her face.

"Hey now," he said. His face was serious. "That's not true."

His eyes were _so_ blue, even in the dark. "It's not?"

He moved closer and she felt the mattress sink with their combined weight. His knee touched her leg, his hipbone touched hers. He was propped up on his elbow above her. "I think there was about one hour from when I entered that satellite, was unconscious, and focused on getting us out alive, where I didn't think long enough to feel anything for you. Once we were outside, well… You were my eyes, Cress. You lead me through a desert! You fought through dehydration, a bunch of lunar-hating scumbags and an army of republic soldiers! Do you have any idea how hard that is to find in a woman?"

When she didn't answer his question he leaned closer. Cress watched his eyes flutter closed at the memories. "You were _so_ brave…" He let out a sigh, and pressed his fingertips against her cheek. A look of pain flashed across his face and he moved his hand down to the side of her stomach, over her scar. " _Are_ brave."

Thorne's eyes were bright and soft and everything. She felt her chest hitch and the tears prick the back of my eyes.

"So you see, there was hardly a moment when I wasn't falling in love with you. Not really."

The knot in her throat so painful that she couldn't stop a few tears from spilling out the side of her eyes. He caught them with his fingers.

"Oh dear," he murmured. She felt his hand slip under her shoulders and around her back, and suddenly she was rolling into him, against his chest. Thorne held her tightly, one hand clasping around her shoulder, and the other tracing the edge of her hairline. "I didn't mean to make you cry," he said into her hair.

"I know," she managed, swiping the back of her hand across her eyes. "There's still so much to be overwhelmed by."

She felt him nod in agreement. "You're right."

She tried to relax and let the tears pass, and focused on the rhythmic movements of his chest as he took in deep, relaxed breaths. "Being loved by you...by _anyone_ still doesn't make sense sometimes."

"Well," he said, tipping her chin up so he could see her face, "fixing that is really another part of my job."

Cress drew in a deep, shaky breath, willing her heart not to beat right out of her ribcage. "Can you...say it just one more time?"

"Say what?"

"You know…" Stars above, she had to be bashful _now_?

Thorne smiled knowingly. "That you're brave?"

Cress laughed softly. "No, not that. But thank you."

"That…" He was enjoying this now. "You have top notch legs?"

"No."

"That kissing you in the atrium was the single most erotic moment of my life?"

She blinked. "No... _what_?"

Thorne winked. "It was."

"I suppose it was very romantic." She pulled herself up on her elbow and looked at him. He watched her with smiling eyes as she lifted a hand and traced the lines of his face. The strong brow, the straight nose, the smirking lips.

"Tell me you love me again," she whispered.

He smiled under her fingers, drawing out the moment. A hand closed around her wrist and he pulled her fingers to his lips one by one. Each kiss sent a jolt through her elbow down to her toes. When he kissed her thumb, he tucked their hands against his chest. His voice was clear and deep as he said, "I love you."

Cress sighed and felt as though she could explode into a thousand stars.

"Now, considering I made that promise to you about sleeping, I think now would be a good time to do that. As much as I'd like to kiss you all night-"

She wasn't listening, instead, she leaned down and kissed him. Part of her didn't care what happened now. She didn't care what little she knew about real life, and by contrast, the abundance she knew about biology and how the body works. She didn't blush when Thorne pulled her on top of him, or when her legs moved to either side of his hips. One of his hands slid up her thigh and she shuddered as he dragged the other down her spine, fingers moving over every vertebrae through the silky fabric of her nightdress. Her skin felt like it was burning all over, and she didn't want it to stop.

She tried not to think about a deep-rooted, hungry feeling she felt in her gut when Thorne deepened the kiss. Or how he tasted…

No, she thought about that.

 _Toothpaste_.

She definitely didn't think about the tiny groans from Thorne, especially when she started kissing his neck again. The deep, throaty sound seemed to vibrate inside her bones. He gripped fistfulls of her nightdress so that it fit tight against her body. Her lips started to burn from his stubble but she didn't want to stop. She moved down to his collarbone, and the fleshy hollow of his throat.

That was, however, when Thorne seized both of her arms, rolled her off of him and onto her pillow with a _thump_. He kept his hands clasped around her upper arms and stared at her with wide, hungry eyes.

"You have to stop," he said, breathlessly.

 _Was he scolding her?_ "Why?"

He released one arm and ran his hand over his face. "Because, you're making it increasingly hard for _me_ to stop."

She was about to counter, petulantly, but he shook his head.

"Please," he said. He smiled a little. "And don't be hurt. It's not that I don't want to… In fact, you'll find that I _really_ want to keep going. I just...think it would be a good idea to stop."

 _Biology_ , Cress reminded herself.

"Something like that."

Her eyes widened. _Had she said that out loud?_

"Eventually...hopefully. Someday. Not even someday soon, but someday," he sighed. "We won't have to stop."

She nodded. "Okay."

"You said you don't want to be one of my girls. You're _not_ , I hope you know that. But I need to do this right."

"I understand." She held up her hands, in surrender. "We can sleep now."

He laughed again. "Easy for you to say." He released her other arm and rolled onto his back so he could rub his face with both of his hands. She watched him from her pillow, and tucked both hands under her cheek. Her heart was still racing, even though her sleepy eyes began to betray her.

Thorne looked over and smiled at her droopy eyes. "Goodnight, Cress."

"Goodnight."

"Feel free to kiss me again tomorrow. Or in a few hours, if the urge arises. I'm here for you."

"Yes, Captain." She said it without thinking, only half awake.

He laughed and threw his arms over his face. "You're going to kill me, do you know that?"

Her eyes were already closed. "Hm? Oh, tomorrow. I'll try to kill you again tomorrow."

She heard him chuckle and then lean close. His lips brushed against her hair, her forehead, the tip of her nose. "I'll count on it."

It was the last thing she heard before she started to fall asleep. She felt the warmth from his body close to hers, like a comforting cocoon.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Author's Note: I've got three and a half of these written. Planning to include Cress, Thorne, Cinder, Wolf, and Scarlet. Bear with me as I try to finish them all!


	2. Scarlet

Disclaimer: All characters and previous events belong to Marissa Meyer and The Lunar Chronicles

Author's Note: Now starts the higher rating. *evil grin* But I mean...if anyone in this book was going to "do it" it was going to be these two, lol. Enjoy!

Interludes Prt. 2

Scarlet

-.-.-.-.-.-

It was strange to be awoken by a barrage of familiar sensations, rather than an army of unfamiliar ones. There were no strange noises, or an uncomfortable mattresses to wake Scarlet from one of the most peaceful sleeps of her life. She was not jolted awake by the rattling of her cage or hunger pains.

Instead, it was the slow, warming of her bare shoulder in the sunlight from the window that pulled her from slumber. As she stirred, she heard the squawking cry from the old rooster across the lawn.

She smiled into her pillow and inhaled the soft, clean smell of the bed linens. The dusty smell from the rafters. The fresh smell of the grass outside.

And, of course, the warm, woodsy smell of Wolf beside her. She cracked an eye open and watched him breathe.

He was still asleep - probably more relaxed and unburdened than he had been his entire life. He lay on his back, cavernous chest arching high towards the ceiling and wild hair spread like tall grass over his pillow.

Scarlet sighed dreamily and marveled at way her heart fluttered inside her ribcage. _Still._ She'd admired Wolf since she'd first met him, drawn to his gem-like eyes and elusive smile that only she seemed to bring. Now his body was warped and strange, yet her heart still raced in her chest. It was more than how he looked, it always has been. It was the way he reached for her, the desperate way he searched for her with his penetrating eyes, the abandon in which he kissed her. Being loved by Ze'ev Kesley was a treasure, and not something that could be limited by outwardly lupine appearances.

She tried to force her eyes closed for another few minutes. Now that they were back on the farm, it was as though her old programming was kicking back in. Urging her awake a t the crack of dawn to start work for the day, even though she'd been out of that routine for months now.

Thankfully, she had no plans to work today.

Or tomorrow…

Or as long as they had away from the _Rampion_.

She'd feigned necessity when asking to have a few days at the farm in Rieux, but really, all she wanted was some time alone with Wolf. Time to show him what life could look like eventually.

Thorne, who had apparently landed his ship on her property before, let them off in her front garden, by the garage shed, where her delivery shuttle was still missing a window. Everything had still looked familiar, whole and mostly unharmed. It felt a little as though someone had gone through all of her things, and she supposed that one or more parties probably had. Wolf appeared to have the same feeling. His body was tense and flighty, as if he thought someone would jump through the bushes at any moment.

Emilie had left the front door unlocked, with a note and basket of fresh groceries on the kitchen table. As she inspected the note and basket, Wolf hovered around her, inspecting each corner of the kitchen with his highly-tuned eyes. Some of the tense edge had left his body and he seemed fidgety. Nervous.

 _Excited._

Scarlet had smiled nervously as she set aside Emilie's note. "Well," she said, lifting a bright, red tomato out of the basket and holding it out to Wolf. He eyed it curiously before flitting his gaze back to hers. "How long have you waited for _this_?"

To her surprise, Wolf had smiled, removed the tomato from her hand, and set it gently back into the basket. He took a step closer, then another until she was shadowed in his bear-like frame. Nerves bubbled in her stomach like champagne. Wolf slid his over-large hands into her hair and peered down at her through his long lashes. "A long time," he murmured, letting out a slow sigh of relief. Then he had kissed her.

And kissed her.

And _kissed_ her.

Until, at last, he lifted her into his arms and carried her skilfully upstairs.

The rest...well. The rest had been every moment out of a dream.

Scarlet had known that she would remember their night on the train forever, whether they lived through the revolution or not. She had forced herself to memorize the way his body had collapsed into hers as he kissed her, and the way his skin had hummed under her touch like an electric current. When she was alone in her cage on Luna, she allowed herself to think of that moment once a day, so she wouldn't let it slip away.

Then, of course, there was their reunion on Luna, when she'd convinced herself that the memory of the train was all she had left. She could still hear his voice as he said her name.

"Scarlet. _Scarlet."_

Now, those memories seemed so long ago, so clouded by urgency and danger. The past few weeks had been busy, of course. They worked hard and were adhering to a strict schedule, but they were still building a relationship, and memories. She had already spent hours teaching Wolf to cook aboard the _Rampion_ at night. They'd seen oceans and rivers and mountain ranges that she had only ever imagined. They'd spent nights awake talking and laughing and learning all the pieces of each other they'd skipped over until now. She would always remember their first kiss, but she never wanted to forget the real feeling of _knowing_ him. Of belonging to each other.

Wolf stirred beside her and turned on his side, facing her. Still, he slept.

From this angle, the twisted, unnatural shape of his skull seemed a little more normal. His nose looked as though it was pushed back into place, and his deep-set eyes didn't look so deep. The only indicator that he was any different, was the sharp fangs over his lip.

Over the past few weeks they'd been able to perfect their kisses and embraces to account for the new shape of his body. Scarlet quite liked the way she fit into his arms now, and how she could hide from the world once inside. She liked the way he had to be careful when he kissed her, it made her feel precious. There was so much _more_ of him now, and he was all hers.

Scarlet bit down on her lip to hide another smile.

Her limbs felt a little like jelly and her skin flushed at the realization. Wolf, so gentle and careful, yet still an animal at his core. He'd consumed her totally and completely, and she'd never felt more whole. Her pulse quickened at the memory.

His lips on her bare skin, his wide hands pressed to her back pulling her closer, _closer,_ until there was no more space between them

Scarlet let her eyes flutter closed. How different life was now, three months later. Not only was she harboring the big bad wolf, but she was in love with him. Completely, and permanently. Her fingers itched to touch his scalding hot, caramel skin. She'd traced lines from scar to scar last night and watched him shiver under her touch.

One of his large hands was pressed flat to the mattress between them. His thick, claw-like nails had been trimmed and filed down. They looked more like human hands now.

Scarlet pressed her palm over his knuckles and laced her fingers through his. Her skin seemed paper white compared to his. Worn and dark. At her touch, Wolf's mouth twitched into a smile, and clenched his fist, trapping the tips of her fingers in his grip.

His eyes fluttered open, as bright and wild as she'd ever seen them. He sought out hers first, meeting and latching on. The memories of the previous night played out between them and she could see the subtle darkening of his pupils. His eyes shifted to her shoulder and where the sheet draped low over her chest. He followed the rise of her hips down to her legs, where their feet were tangled together. His, warm as fire, hers cold as ice.

A sheepish grin worked its way across his face. "Was it a dream?" he mumbled sleepily, pressing his face into his pillow and breaking eye contact just for a moment.

"Stars I hope not," she sighed.

He lifted their joined hands and pressed a long kiss to her knuckles. She could feel the cool tips of his fangs against her skin. The contact gave her a thrill. "How?" he asked. His breath puffed against her hand in a half laugh, half sigh.

"How what?"

Wolf released their hands and reached for her, fitting her against his body and curling around her like the protective shield he'd always been. His lips brushed over her forehead, her cheek, before finding her lips. His voice was a whisper. "How are we here, right now, after everything?"

Scarlet pressed her cheek into the warm flesh of his shoulder and relaxed into his embrace. "Because we deserve this. Because we never stopped fighting." She kissed the side of his neck. "Because we saved each other."

Even though she didn't think it was possible, he pulled her closer. "All the times I thought I lost you…"

"Likewise."

Wolf pulled back enough to take her face in both of his hands. His eyes pierced hers, as if he was trying to answer an unasked question.

"If we hadn't met before...if I'd been this way first, we never would have…"

She knew this act by now, of course. It had happened again and again in the short time they'd known each other. Scarlet swatted away his hands and glared back at him. She could feel the scowl on her face. "Are you saying that I'm so shallow, that I only base my relationships on looks?"

Even Wolf couldn't help but chuckle softly. "That night at the Tavern? You would have offered me a tomato? You would have been friendly to me? I wouldn't have even been allowed in the place..."

"Don't do this," she sighed, fitting her hand in the hollow of his cheek. "You have to stop doing this."

He blinked up at her, lulled into silence by her touch.

"Ze'ev, I love you _literally_ to the moon and back. You think a little-" she motioned around his face with her fingers, "reconstructive surgery will change the way I feel about you? The you in here?" She pressed her other palm flat to his chest and felt his heart hammering against his ribcage.

He didn't answer the question, instead he wisely changed the subject. "How did you know it was me? At the palace? I keep meaning to ask you."

At this she smiled and leaned close. The memory was still vivid in her mind, even if it was fraught with terror. The axe between her closed fingers, the comforting shadow of his body, screams clawing at her throat. And green. Bright, wild green. "Your eyes."

They crinkled at the corners as he smiled.

"Wolf, someday, hopefully, you'll let this pass and we can live our lives together no matter what they look like on the outside. I trust that no matter what shape your body is, you'll love me just as much. And the same goes for me." Her voice shook with conviction and emotion. "There's...there's just…"

Wolf slid his hand up her back and into the base of her deep, red hair. She felt the goosebumps on her skin from his touch, and the comfort that came along with it. The strength of his body next to hers. The deep sounds of his breathing.

Scarlet closed her eyes pressed her nose to his. "There's no future I can imagine that doesn't involve you in it. I wish you'd stop making me question that."

He let out a sigh, small and pained. It was the sound she heard each time he contemplated the life he could have had, and that he'd left behind. The hands that were tangled in her hair tightened and twisted her face toward his lips. He closed the fractional distance between them with a kiss and a promise. It was deep, and slow and everything they'd been practicing over the past few weeks. His hands scalded her skin and she tugged on his wild hair. The longing that they'd finally been able to explore the night before was once again simmering under the surface of her skin. She could feel it between them like electricity. Wolf groaned and pulled her on top of him. Bare skin pressed to bare skin, bodies molding together in nearly learned ways.

She could hear him breathe deep through his nose, then feel the smile on his lips. "You're aroused," he mumbled as she broke away to kiss his jaw and his neck. Scar to scar, like constellations drawn in the night sky.

She snorted loudly, possibly the most unladylike thing she had ever done. She lifted her head and raised an eyebrow. "And? So are you."

His laugh was like a landslide; small at first until it got bigger and bigger and the only thing she could hear was the roar of it around her. It echoed off the walls and in her bones and Scarlet knew instantly that she would never tire of the sound.

He started kissing her again with new abandon, as though fueled by his discovery and his joy. She gasped as he nipped at her earlobe and he hummed against the thin skin of her neck. Over her shoulder she could see the bright morning light against the elm tree out the window. New leaves reflected the yellow green light into the room. Outside birds chirped and wind whistled through the corn fields.

 _Home._

"I have to ask you something" she said, breathlessly, as he kissed a slow trail from her jaw down her neck.

"Hm?"

The white sheets fell around her hips and she was hardly able to speak. "Now that you're here, are you so sure you want this life? The farm, France, _me_?"

Wolf stopped so he could look at her, head lolling on his pillow. His eyes were dark and hungry, but he wore a silly, content grin. His hands never stopped moving over her skin, even as his lips pursed to push aside his blatant happiness. "Any life that starts and ends each day just like this, is more than I ever dreamed."

He crushed her back to him before she had a chance to reply and her sigh was lost in their kiss.


	3. Thorne

Disclaimer: All characters and previous events belong to Marissa Meyer and The Lunar Chronicles

Author's Note: Another rating-worthy chapter...I suppose. GOSH I love writing Thorne. Had fun writing the action in this one too! Enjoy!

Interludes Prt. 2

Thorne

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Everything was moving too fast to comprehend. Narrow hallways carved from sandstone, piping and wires lining the walls, storage crates in every available space. All around them, gunshots shattered the stone wall as they ran.

Rebellious Lunars on Earth.

Who came up with _that_ idea?

Thorne lifted the gun in his hand and checked the magazine. Four shots left. He cursed loudly and reached to his side wildly, groping for Cress's hand. She grasped it tightly.

"Still with me, Ace?"

She was gasping for air beside him, but keeping pace. "For now. I can't keep up for much longer."

"We'll get out of here. I've been in situations way worse than this before." He took another look over his shoulder. They were ahead of the Lunars for now, but the moment they lost speed, their lead would evaporate.

"Like a desert?"

He twisted his head around to grin at Cress. "Maybe." She tugged on his shirt.

"Over here!" she cried, pulling him sharply to the left and down another corridor, narrower than the last. He didn't resist; Cress had a way of knowing the right direction to go. It was one of the many ways she excelled as a crew member.

Person. Woman. Girlfriend. All of it.

Thorne could still hear her gasping breaths and squeezed her hand tightly. His lungs were aching too. They'd been sprinting for what felt like miles since they'd entered the hangar. _Almost there_ , he thought, hopefully. Any second and the _Rampion_ would appear in front of them in all of her glory.

Although, really, he had no idea.

He hoped that Cress had some semblance of one.

The day had started out routine. They'd landed in the Phoenix area to deliver a shipment of antidotes and delivered successfully to the hospital and quarantine centers, but were ambushed as they left an emergency clinic. They'd endured a thrilling speeder chase, had to duck and roll behind the hangar entrance to avoid actual gunfire, and now they were running for their lives through the deep catacombs of an underground hangar.

Not his usual preference for a Thursday afternoon.

At last, they rounded the corner and entered the wide, open underground docking bay. Ships, hovers, crates and luggage were littered everywhere like a battle scene. It was chaos. Panic seized at the back of Thorne's throat. He had no idea where his ship was.

"Duck!" Cress yelled, and they tumbled behind a stack of crates. A flurry of bullets cracked overhead.

"How did you-?"

"I heard him unhook his safety," she was peeking over the edge of one of the crates. "Looks like they're hiding too." She sunk back down next to him and leaned into his side. He draped an arm over her bent knees and pulled them to his chest, eager to gather some part of her tiny frame against him. Still in one piece, for now.

Thorne chanced a glance over the crates before looking over at Cress who was poking at her portscreen furiously, confirming their location. Her cheeks were flushed, and hair was wild. She looked...beautiful.

Cress, who apparently had excellent peripheral vision, scowled at her screen. "Captain, I thought _you_ were the one trained by the military."

Thorne balked. "What! Have you seen your face right now? You look–"

"Save it!" Cress shouted as another volley of bullets hit their makeshift hiding place. "They're on the move. Shimmy under this speeder and the _Rampion_ should be on the other side."

His shoulders sagged with relief. "Oh stars, really?"

She arched a brow.

"Right," Thorne said, releasing the safety on his own gun and braced his shoulder against the crate. "You first, sweetheart. I'll cover you."

For a split second, their eyes locked in silent exchange of affection, then Cress slid away from him and out of sight. He followed, rolling smoothly under the polished steel hull. As he tumbled onto his feet, he spotted Cress a few paces ahead, skirt streaming behind her. He really needed to persuade her to wear pants every now and then. It would be more appropriate for moments like this...

"Captain is King!" she cried. " _Captain is King!_ "

The _Rampion_ remained unmoving.

"Captain!" she shouted over her shoulder. He really didn't like that tone.

"Yes, darling?"

She let out a rare growl of discontent. "Did you, or did you not update the vocal recognition for the ship to include the rest of the crew?"

 _Right._

That was exactly what he was supposed to be doing this morning when he was inconveniently distracted by the space between Cress's shoulder blades.

"Um…"

The ship was getting closer and closer. A ramp would be a good thing if they wanted to escape this place with all of their limbs.

"Captain is King!" he shouted quickly. "Lower ramp!"

All too slowly, the gangplank began to open, as Thorne heard a loud group of footsteps gather behind them. The rusty hydraulics whined with effort and he could only imagine Cress' scathing look. The footsteps echoed louder, and Thorne twisted over his shoulder to fire a shot. Without missing a beat, Cress launched herself through the available opening of the ramp and scrambled inside.

"Raise ramp!" Thorne called, as he followed her lead. He shimmied up the narrow space until they both lay flat on their stomachs in the main storage cabin. Bullets peppered ship as the ramp hissed closed at last and their loud, labored breaths echoed in the room. The only other sounds in the empty ship were the faint whines from the computers and air vents.

With a pang of nostalgia, Thorne considered how nice it had been returning to the ship when Iko was in the system. At least she wasn't the only one who called him 'Captain' anymore.

He lifted himself up on his elbows to inspect Cress, momentarily fearful that she'd been grazed by a bullet when they made a break for it. He flattened a hand between her shoulders, relieved by the warmth and life he felt under his fingers.

"I can't believe you didn't update the password," she hissed at his touch. Apparently she was still mad about that. Thorne grimaced.

"I had other things on my mind," he answered, with a shrug.

Cress whipped her head around to look at him. "I _told_ you t-"

Before she could finish, he looped an arm around her waist and pulled her roughly against him, wasting no time before covering her lips with his. Cress would thank him later. Probably. She was about to be mad at him, and that was really a ridiculous plan. Her body molded to his chest as he rolled her slightly under his body. He kissed her slowly as he sighed with relief. Time for girlfriend diagnostics. Waist, check. Shoulders, check. Neck, check. Face, check. Lips, check and check.

She let out a small whimper and Thorne started imagining an entire day spent this way. Caught in an embrace in the underbelly of his ship with the woman he loved...

All too soon, she regained her senses, gripped his shirt collar from his neck and pulled her head back with a gasp. "Captain, we have to _go_."

Thorne whined and pulled her closer, hiding his face in her hair. "Humor me for three seconds, will you? We were just running for our _lives_."

Gently, Cress urged them both to their feet and shoved him in the direction of the cockpit. "I know, but if we don't get out of here, you'll lose me _and_ your ship in about two minutes!" A loud bang made them both jump.

With a dramatic sigh, Thorne nodded. "Point taken, but I will be illustrating all the ways in which you were amazing later. When we're _actually_ alone."

She smiled impishly over her shoulder as they started to run down the hallway. He let his fingers linger on the small of her back as they skidded into the dimly lit cockpit and sunk into their respective chairs.

His, pilot. Obviously.

Hers, copilot.

"Thrusters, on," he said, flipping several switches and releasing the yoke from its locked position. The engines roared to life and vibrated the hull under his feet.

"Shields on full, captain," Cress chimed from beside him. "Concentrating on forward protection."

"Engines primed for take off."

Months ago, Scarlet had taught him the proper lingo. He thought it was prudent to use it, since he was supposed to be captain of the ship and all.

"Warming up laser cannons for evasive measures," Cress continued, fingers moving like lightning over the panel as she spoke.

He could see the Lunars through the viewport ahead. They had ducked behind a stack of tumbled crates to avoid the ship as he lifted it off the ground. Their clothes were shredded and tattered. Refugees? Why here? Why in spades would they want to stop the antidote?

Questions pinged through his mind as he lifted them up through the hanger and out into the afternoon sky.

"Transitioning shield strength to the aft, Captain."

"Thanks, Cress." He heard bullets grace the outside of his ship somewhere and cringed. "Just a few meters, baby, hang on."

Clouds whipped past the viewport, and in a matter of moments they were miles above the Lunars, miles above the hanger, miles above danger. His heart thundered in his chest and his limbs shook slightly from the adrenaline. He gripped the handles in his hands tighter to hide the trembling. He could see Cress's pale fingers spread out on the panel with white knuckles. She was leaning forward in her seat, willing them to go faster.

Bright blue sky gave way to navy, then darkness and stars. The burn of the orbit engines faded and Thone sighed with relief, left only with the subtle ringing in his ears.

Cress's fingers were still moving in the corner of his eye, and she was mumbling to herself as she put her masking algorithm back into place. When she was done, she let out a dramatic sigh, and fell back, limp in her chair.

"Done. We're hidden, Captain." She looked over at him, relief written all over her face. "What was that all about?"

Thone released the yolk from between his aching hands and leaned back in his chair, pressing the pads of his fingers into his eyelids. "I don't know." After the brief moment of darkness, he let his head fall back against the headrest and looked to his right to watch Cress. She reached a hand out between them, and he laced his fingers with hers.

This hadn't been their first run in with anti-Lunar or anti-Earthen groups since they'd started their mission. Once, they'd been caught on the Canadian border, in six inches of snow, and another on an airfield in the middle of nowhere, America. Each time, they'd managed to escape unscathed, usually because of his excellent instincts when it came to heroics. Well, that and because of Cress and her extreme ability to think on her feet. After several months of work and some sticky situations with foreigners, there was no way for him to deny that Cress was the best partner he'd ever had.

In more ways than one…

What was crazier still, was that he still found it hard to keep his head on straight when they were together. He, Captain Carswell Thorne, the famous rogue captain, war hero, and organizer of the great Soap Revolution, was rendered useless by an awkward girl who had been a satellite prisoner for seven years. He'd complain about it if he didn't love her so damn much.

He let his mind wander momentarily, back to another time when they'd sat in these chairs after a narrow escape. He hadn't been able to see her then, but he could see her in his mind's eye; all quiet and timid in her blue dress with tear-stained cheeks. They'd both lied to each other that night, in front of the stars and Luna, hovering in front of them. He thought about how much his satellite girl had changed since then. Cress was still shy sometimes, definitely awkward, but there was a confidence about her now that was irresistible. He could tell that she felt that she belonged, both with him, and on the _Rampion_. He'd grown to rely on her, and not just because of her beautiful, adorable nature, but because of her intelligence and determination.

"Cress," he sighed, bringing himself back to the present.

She raised a worried brow. "What?"

He reached for her, pulling her unceremoniously out of her chair and onto his. It was so sudden that she all but stumbled into his lap; knees bent on either side of his thighs and fingers grasping the headrest. He hid his face in her neck and willed his heart to slow down and ease the adrenaline from his system.

"Are you alright?" Her fingers smoothed down the hair at the back of his head.

He kissed the skin under her ear, once, then again and forgot that he wasn't supposed to do this. It was too hard to stop.

"Captain?"

He hummed in response and dragged his open lips across her throat so he could felt her pulse under her skin.

" _Thorne_ ," she said again, urgent this time. "Answer me."

His head snapped up, and their eyes locked. Cress's eyes widened as she saw the look in his his. "I'm fine," he mumbled, before grabbing her face and kissing her. It was a deep, passionate kiss, fueled by the passing threat of danger and by love. The tips of her fingers moved across his cheek and downward, thumbs tracing the rough edge of his stubbled jaw.

It was no secret that he had kissed his fair share of women in his life. Stars, even _Cress_ knew it. What she didn't know, was that he had never kissed anyone like her. Never _been_ kissed by anyone like her. Cress, once so hesitant and still in his arms, now came alive. Her hands in his hair, on his skin, pressing into the muscles of his back. Her lips firm and insistent.

Cress pulled away with a gasp and before she could consider pulling away, Thorne slid his fingers into her hair and tilted her head back so he could kiss her jaw, her chin. Then her lips again, her beautiful smiling lips.

"That was terrifying," he said finally, breathing harshly over her lips. "I don't want to do that again."

"I don't either," she agreed, taking her turn to kiss his face and his cheek. He could feel her silky eyelashes on his temple.

"Spades," he gasped, as she kissed his ear. "You were brilliant, Cress."

" _We_ were," she corrected, sitting back to meet his eye. "We make a great team."

"Amazing, really. Good thing you have such a resourceful captain to guide you through difficult situations." He grinned at her and raised an eyebrow.

Cress snorted a laugh. "Good thing I have a reliable sense of direction, more like it."

He took in a deep breath, as though he was going to retaliate, then let it out in a defeated sigh. "You're right. I'm definitely the lucky one."

Her lips curved into a bashful smile, even as her hands roamed over his chest. "Like I said," she leaned close. "We make a great team."

Thorne let out an embarrassing and totally justified moan as she kissed him. She was perfect, she was amazing, she was smart and fast and strong. He was the luckiest man in the galaxy.

"Captain," she said, between kisses. "Should we…?"

He shook his head and slid her jacket off her shoulders and onto the floor. "She'll be fine in orbit for an hour or two. We can chart a course later-"

"No…" A kiss, then another. She released two buttons on his shirt. "That's not what I meant."

Thorne froze, and pulled back enough to see her face. Cress worked on another button. "Oh. Then what?"

Her cheeks lit up in his favorite shade of embarrassment. "Your quarters. Should we...go there? I mean," Cress glanced over her shoulder at the empty cockpit, "it's not like anyone is going to interrupt us, but it may be more comfortable."

A smile worked its way over his face and he let his head fall back in a laugh. He suspected that he should be ashamed that she thought of that before he did, but he had to admit it was sexier when she did it. He sat back up and wrapped his arms around her. "Hang on." With a grunt, he stood out of the chair and lifted Cress with him. "They're _our_ quarters, by the way."

She hooked her hands behind his neck and held onto his shoulders as he walked them towards his room. "Well, you're the captain, aren't you?"

He steered around a low hanging pipe. "Sure, but you've been sleeping in there for months. I think it's safe to say it's yours too."

The kiss to his neck told him that was the right thing to say.

When they reached his door, Cress leaned back and keyed in his code without looking, then they were finally inside. And alone.

He strode meaningfully over to the bed and reached for her face with a free hand to guide her lips back to his. Cress eased herself from his arms and slid down his body and back onto her feet. She felt for the edge of the bed and sunk down, pulling him with her. He unbuttoned the rest of his shirt and tossed it aside before lowering his body fully, pressing her tiny frame into the mattress.

He resumed his trail of kisses down her neck and across her collarbone. Her hands roamed over the sensitive skin across his back, and he let out a shaky breath.

"Captain?" she gasped, between kisses.

"Cress."

"Do you think that tonight, we can…" She cleared her throat. "What I mean is that...I want… Um..."

Thorne lifted his head and met her wide eyes with his. She wrung her hands together between them and gnawed on her lower lip. He was ashamed at the way his pulse quickened in his veins.

Was this it? Was this the moment?

He'd been so good for the last four months. Saintlike, really. She'd all but begged him to make love to her and each time he turned her down. " _Not yet,"_ he'd say. Even he was starting to forget why he was holding out. Oh, right. Because this was important. This was Cress, his girl. The _only_ girl.

While he'd grown used to the idea of someone finding him worthy of a relationship, he still feared that someday she would change her mind. That some day he would unknowingly slip into old behavior and disappoint her beyond repair. Not that she wouldn't deserve better in that case.

He didn't want to make love until she was sure, because it wouldn't just be another night to her. It would be...everything. And stars help him, he wanted to make sure he was her everything.

Thorne drew in a deep breath before preparing himself to say no, again. _Not yet…_

"Please," she said softly, before drawing a hand across his forehead, down his cheek, and under his chin. "Carswell."

He started to shake his head but she held his chin between her fingers.

"I know what I'm asking."

Her confidence was melting his brain inside his skull; resolve crumbling around him. Gently, she pulled his lips towards her for a kiss. He opened his mouth against hers and kissed her deeply, hungrily. He wanted her to know, to _feel_ how much he wanted it too. How much he'd _always_ wanted it.

" _Please_ ," she said again, and he felt her voice reverberate deep in his chest.

Thorne's breath caught in his chest.

"I know that it's you," she said. "I don't want anyone else. Ever."

"Cress, how do you know? You've only ever been on this ship, with me..."

She all but laughed in his face. "What do you mean, ' _How do I know?_ ' After all we've been through in the desert and on Luna? All that you've taught me, and the things you've made me feel." Her eyes were unwavering as they met his. "Don't _you_ know?"

Thorne tightened his arms around her protectively, as though the thought of being with anyone else would steal her away. "Of _course_ I do. You're one in a million. The kind of girl every guy dreams about finding but never does…" He sighed, and scowled at the blanket between them, afraid that he would ruin everything after what he was going to say next. "Cress, I paid my dues. I've made mistakes and seen the difference between real love and lust. You should see the world and–"

"And what? Get lost in the desert with someone else?" She pursed her lips in determination. "There is no one else, Carswell. It's you. It's always been you."

Thorne let out a nervous, breathy laugh at her admission. His chest ached between them as he tried to hold back his real worry; his truest, most selfish fear with Cress.

"What is it?" she asked, quietly, seeing through him in an instant. "Tell me."

His shoulders slumped and he leaned heavily against her. "What if some day I'm _not_ your hero. What if I mess it up?"

Her face softened and she gave him a warm smile. "No one is perfect forever. I'm sure some day you _will_ mess up, but why on earth wouldn't I forgive you?" She pressed a hand flat against his bare chest, over his heart. "You saved me...from everything. My prison, the desert, and my own fears. You've given me a life to live, doing something that matters. You will _always_ be my hero, Carswell. Always."

All he could do was stare at her with his mouth hanging open. He wanted to gather her close, to kiss her, to hold her until their ship drifted out of orbit. A slow, wide smile crept across his face, even as his heart was nearly exploding in his chest. "So, you're saying you want to have that epic romance with me, after all?"

Cress's eyes fluttered closed as she wrapped her arms around him. "I don't think there's ever been a moment where we weren't having an epic romance, Captain."

Thorne watched her for a moment, studying the small features of her face that he sometimes missed, but never forgot. The dark freckles on the bridge of her nose, the fleck of navy in the iris of her left eye, the way her mouth curved upwards when she smiled. Her fierceness and determination simmered under the surface. "I love you," he said, voice deep and true.

She drew a knee up against his hip as he watched her eyes darken. "Show me," she said.

He nodded this time, for the _first_ time since they'd been tangled in each others arms this way. Her surprised gasp was swallowed by his lips as he kissed her and rolled her on top of his body. In one fluid motion, he sat both of them up, yanked her dress over her head and resumed their kiss.

His memory gets a little hazy after that...


	4. Thorne Part 2

Disclaimer: All characters and previous events belong to Marissa Meyer and The Lunar Chronicles

Author's Note: You all are sending me mixed message with the rating. Back up to M for now. I'm not sure I should have written this...but I did :) Takes place after Thorne's hazy memory clears at the end of the last chapter. Enjoy and happy holidays!

Interludes Prt. 2

Thorne Part 2

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

It was evening when Thorne woke from his doze, wrapped in Cress's arms with his head on her shoulder. The lights in his room were dim; curfew hours. Her warm body was curled around his, skin on skin with nothing between them except the sheets tangled around their legs. He hummed appreciatively and pulled her closer. A heartbeat fluttered under his ear as she tightened her arms around him.

"Welcome back," she said, and he could hear the amusement in her voice.

Was he back? He felt like he was living in a dream. Holed up in his quarters with a beautiful women, memories of lovemaking circling around his head, while his ship orbited earth. Wasn't this the life he'd always dreamed of? Dream girl, dream ship, and not one price on his head to bring him down. He supposed he never would be back, not after everything. He was different now, older, wiser.

"How long do you think President Vargas will let me slack off up here?" he asked, voice muffled in Cress's shoulder.

"We're already behind schedule."

Thorne groaned. Now wasn't the time for rationalism. "Scarlet and Wolf got off easy," he whined.

Cress giggled "You think running a farm is easy? From what I've read, that's a very difficult lifestyle. I think they have plenty of work for the two of them. Besides," she kissed the top of his head, "don't you prefer having the ship to ourselves?"

He kissed her collarbone in response, causing Cress to suck in a deep breath. "You know I do," he hummed over her skin. He further distracted himself from pressing kisses up her neck. Her skin warmed under his lips and her fingers wove tightly in his hear. Stars, it felt so good to be this way with her.

A question was on the tip of his tongue but he hesitated asking it. So desperate, so needy, so...egotistical. He would let it go if it wasn't kind of important, so he rephrased it slightly. "Cress, how do you feel?" he asked quietly, more than a little terrified of what she may say.

Her body stilled, then relaxed, and she let out a contented sigh. "I don't know that there's a word for it."

Thorne felt his eyebrows pucker in confusion. "But...good?"

A finger lifted his chin to meet her eyes. "Better than good," she said, smiling. He could see her contentment in her bright pink cheeks and broad smile. He felt his stomach flip at the memory of an hour earlier, then swallowed it down as she asked him, "What about you?"

A slow blush crept into his cheeks. What _was_ he, a teenager? Although, it wasn't really his fault; any man would lose their mind after the night he had. Pale skin, hushed breaths, her voice in his ear. With a casual clear of his throat, he answered. "A captain hardly speaks of such things."

"But Carswell Thorne does, I'm sure."

A laugh bubbled to his lips and he poked her side with his fingers until she squirmed out of his embrace. After a moment he lifted himself on an elbow so he could see her properly. He traced his fingers down her cheek, her neck and her shoulder. There was no way to be flippant about this. "Cress...I…" What could he say? That it was the best sex of his life? No, not a good idea. That he had been afraid his entire body was going to break apart at the onslaught of feelings in his chest? No, again, that was sissy stuff.

"But...good?" she teased, repeating his question from earlier.

Thorne shook his head with a bashful smile and raked his hand through his hair. "Amazing, Cress. And that doesn't even begin to cover it."

She seemed to hesitate before she said, "I know it's not the first time for you, and I'm not as experienced-"

He clapped a hand over her mouth and shook his head. "Don't do that. This is different in every way and you know it." His hand lifted and he watched as she tried to hide a smile. "Tell me you know that."

"I do."

"Good."

Thorne felt her hand on the side of his face and he leaned into it, watching her eyes flit back and forth over his face. "You know," she said, "I used to watch all the romantic net dramas when I was on the satellite."

He couldn't help but snort a laugh. "That doesn't sound like you at all."

"All of the great romances would build for the whole movie, and then at the end, when the music crescendoed and almost all was lost, the star-crossed lovers would kiss or make love." Cress sighed dreamily at the memory and smiled up at him. "But it was just that one time, and then the movie would end."

He flicked some of her hair away from her face. "Yes, well real life is a bit more complicated, isn't it?"

Red blossomed on her cheeks. "I guess what I'm wondering is how it works in real life. Now that we've...not that we're…" She cleared her throat.

A little butterfly of hope fluttered inside his ribcage. "You mean how often?"

Her flush was spreading down her neck now. Thorne wanted to kiss it. "Yes," she nodded, voice hardly a whisper. "It's a stupid question…"

He considered how to answer the question for a moment, before saying, "You know how you sometimes get that feeling in your stomach when we're together. Like your insides drop from here to here?" With a gentle press of his finger, he drew a slow arc from her ribcage to under her navel. Her skin broke out in goosebumps as she nodded.

He grinned at her. "That's when you want to."

Bright blue eyes grew wide and she covered her mouth to stifle a giggle. "Oh _dear_."

"But obviously, you can't act on it all the time." Thorne lowered his head to kiss the side of her neck where her blush stopped, then dragged his nose up to her ear. "When we're alone, though…"

"At night?" Her voice was small, but hopeful.

He nodded and pressed his forehead to her temple. "And in the mornings."

She curled into him, like she used to when she was more bashful and shy. It was adorable, until he felt her lips behind his ear. Crafty girl.

"You were so gentle last night," she mused against the sensitive skin at his hairline.

"Did you expect something else?"

A head shake. "No, it was just...it was...wonderful." She pulled back so they could share a smile.

"We're just getting started, Ace."

Cress bit down hard on her lower lip and he felt the warm flames of desire ignite in his chest. Just as he leaned forward to get things started, Cress pressed a hand against his sternum and held him back. "Before we do anything else, I want to ask you something though…"

The flames flickered out and disappeared in an instant. _Uh oh_.

"Will you please update the password before we set off for Texas in the morning?"

Thorne burst out laughing and rolled back over onto his pillow. " _Cress_!"

"What? You were too distracted to do it yesterday and we almost got into some real trouble." Her eyes were serious as she watched him from her pillow.

 _Women_. He was still laughing as he curled a lock of her hair around his finger. "I was distracted by _you_ , you know. Not just me being an amazing specimen of a human or anything." He paused for a second before adding, "Don't argue that last part."

Cress smiled mischievously. "How could I, after last night?"

Thorne felt the unfamiliar burn of embarrassment and he rubbed his hands over his face. "And to think, when we first met, I could hardly touch you without you squeaking and skittering across the room."

"That's not true."

He arched a brow. "Isn't it?"

"I never shied away from being touched by _you_."

"I guess you're right."

"Do you miss when I was shy?" she asked, quietly.

He reached for her and tugged her closer. "No, not for a moment. Are you kidding? You're much more fun."

She granted him a few leisurely kisses before pressing a finger to his lips. "The password change?"

He had to fight not to roll his eyes, before he said, "Actually, Cress, I think you'll find that I _did_ update the password. My fault lies in not telling you."

"What?" she blinked.

With great fanfare, he cleared his throat and looked upwards at the ceiling. "Computer? Confirm copilot password."

The metallic voice of Darla, the _Rampion's_ system computer chimed from the speakers. " _Yes Captain. Copilot Cress Darnel, password is, 'twenty-five is the charm.'"_

With a winning and obnoxiously large smile, he turned back to look at Cress, who was still curled in his arms. There was no possible way she would be disappointed by his cleverness.

She stared blankly back at him, with her mouth slightly agape. "Copilot?"

Thorne gave her a little squeeze, still enjoying the feel of her warm skin against his. "Of, course. You didn't think I'd make you _pilot_ did you?"

None of the humor of the situation seemed to be reaching her, however. She lifted herself on her elbow, while waving her hand dismissively. "No, that's not what I mean." She gave him another long look. "Me? Copilot?"

"Didn't you like my joke? 'Twenty five is the charm'? Get it? Because I finally got it right after twenty five times?"

Cress wasn't looking at him, however. She was staring confusedly at the blanket bunched between them. He realized that perhaps he had come on too strong. With a slight groan of discontent, Thorne pulled himself into a sitting position. "I just realized that this is a good time for me to do something important."

Her head snapped up. "What?"

He gently drew his arm from under her and moved towards the edge of the bed. The floor was cold against his bare feet. He reached down for his pants and glanced over his shoulder. "Get dressed."

She was sitting up in bed, clutching the sheets to her chest and looking every bit as dazed and loved-up as he had hoped. If he wasn't so motivated, he would have climbed back on top of her in an instant.

"Dressed?" Cress blinked. "Why? It's the middle of the night."

When he was finished pulling on his pants, he reached for his discarded shirt from earlier. His undone belt buckle clanged as he leaned over the mattress and pressed a firm kiss to her lips. "While I appreciate your desire to remain unclothed, I must insist. Just this once, I promise. I'll _never_ make you put clothes on again."

Cress sucked on her lower lip and smiled at him through her lashes. "No one has ever promised me something like _that_ before."

He growled in frustration, then shoved his shirt into her hands. "Stop being cute. We're going up to the cockpit. Put this on."

Cress let him pull her out of bed, then stood awkwardly before him as he wrapped his navy button-up around her shoulders. He pulled both sides of the shirt together until they touched, dwarfing her tiny frame in soft fabric. He blew out a breath with puffed cheeks and shook his head slowly, eyeing the contrast of her ivory skin against the fabric, and how the deep V of the shirt narrowed down her chest between–

"Captain?"

He smiled sheepishly and buttoned a few buttons before he became more distracted. "You'll do." Then he reached into the cabinet beside his bed, found what he was looking for, and tucked it into his pocket. Without another word, he reached for her hand and lead her towards the door.

"I still don't understand. Where are we going?"

Their feet slapped on the cool steel floor of the corridor as they neared the cockpit. It remained dark and untouched from when they'd left it earlier. The panel was lit and flashing as various sensors and controls ran through diagnostics. Out the viewport, earth loomed, huge and blue. As they reached their respective chairs, he stopped and turned her around to face him. The stars were reflected in her bright blue eyes, and her cheeks remained flushed from everything that had happened earlier.

Stars he wanted to kiss her…

Cress raised an eyebrow expectantly as he gawked at her.

"Right," he stammered, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his prize from earlier. "As you have noticed, I have officially named you Copilot of my crew, Cress Darnell."

Her throat bobbed as she swallowed nervously. "Thank you, Captain."

Thorne's mouth quirked in a smile. "That being said, I wanted you to have something so that you, and others would know that you have been bestowed that honor. And maybe I thought you deserved a gift from me, after everything."

For a moment, he stared at his fingers, closed around the token inside. This was a big deal for him. Captain Carswell Thorne wasn't known for giving gifts. The escort droid for Iko was the first, but this was his first gift for a woman. It seemed fitting that it was for Cress. Before he could hesitate another moment, he opened his palm and held it out to her, revealing the polished, round medallion with her name and 'copilot' engraved across the middle. Hands shaking slightly, she reached forward and let her fingers hover hesitantly above his outstretched palm.

"It's beautiful. Thorne…"

"I had Jacin find it for me. It's an antique from Luna, because...well, that's part of your history. And considering everything we've been through, all that Cinder is doing, and what our mission is, I thought it would be appropriate." He reached for one of her hands and flipped the shiny medal into her palm.

"I don't know what to say," she breathed, pressing her thumb over the smooth surface.

He wrapped his fingers around both her wrists and stepped closer.

"Everyone knows that I stole my captain's medallion when I deserted the army. It wasn't given to me, and I didn't deserve it."

Cress's eyes snapped up and she opened her mouth to argue, but he silenced her with a swift shake of his head.

"No, I didn't. But now, I _am_ a captain, past indiscretions aside. That's not the point i'm trying to get across, other than the fact that I am legally able to grant you this honor." He pulled her hands to his lips and left lingering kisses across her knuckles. " _You_ deserve this, Cress, for more reasons than one. Not just because of how important you are to my crew, but because of how important you are to...me."

Her eyes were shining.

"I could give you a separate medal for your bravery and your compassion, but this one will have to do for now. Every day I'm blown away by your determination, and your strength. I couldn't run this ship without you, we couldn't succeed in our missions without you, and there's no way in hell _I_ would want to be without you...so, you see, you've earned this, Copilot Darnell." He let out a nervous breath before adding, "And I love you, very much."

She had tears on her cheeks and he wiped them away with his fingers. "I love you too," she croaked, voice thick with emotion. "I couldn't do any of those things without you…"

Thorne shook his head. "That's not true. You're more than that, Cress. I think…" Oh dear, he was going to say it. This was going to be a big moment. "I think, maybe, you're _my_ hero."

She didn't respond as he'd hoped. A nervous giggle fell from her lips and she shook her head in disbelief. "Don't let anyone else hear you say that," she teased.

He growled under his breath as he hooked an arm around her waist. Cress gasped as he pulled her roughly against him. "Haven't you caught on yet, Ace? I don't care why anyone else thinks. I just want you. Here. With me."

Their eyes locked for a solid ten seconds before Cress lifted herself on her toes to kiss him. He gathered her tightly in his arms and kissed her back. _This_ was the reaction he was hoping for. Salty tears on her lips, soft hands on his face, and the silky tendrils of her hair against his cheeks.

"I love being on this ship with you," she whispered fiercely between them. "It's everything I ever wanted."

"Me too," he murmured, and it was true. Telling Cress the truth was proving to be easier than he had ever imagined. Eventually their kiss deepened, and memories of earlier started flitting before his eyes. She melted in his arms, and he found that all he could think about were the three buttons holding her shirt together.

"Captain," Cress breathed over his lips.

"Cress."

"That feeling in my stomach."

He laughed through his nose then grinned proudly at her. "Oh yeah?"

"What do you think?"

Thorne toyed with the wide opening of his shirt over her chest, flicking each button open, one by one. "Cress, I think that we are going to have an _excellent_ life together."

She bit her lip to hide a smile then looked around the cockpit for what he could only assume was a flat surface. He laughed again, loudly this time. "Oh no, courageous girl. We'll have plenty of time for acrobatics later." He dipped down to he could lift her sideways in his arms. "For now, let's go to bed."

Cress was already kissing his neck as he took them back down the corridor for the second time that night. "Yes Captain."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Author's Note: Thanks for all of your lovely feedback on these chapters! I'm happy to share them and write them! It's helping deal with the end of the series... Posting a Cinder chapter right now, then working on the final Wolf chapter.


	5. Cinder

Disclaimer: All characters and previous events belong to Marissa Meyer and The Lunar Chronicles

Author's Note: The much-requested Cinder and Kai chapter. Enjoy being back on Luna for a little while!

Interludes Prt. 2

Cinder

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Cinder had hoped that eventually she could come to love the stark beauty of Luna out the windows of the palace; that she could forego the warmth of the sun on her skin and instead get used to the cool, moonless nights. It was, after all, her new domain and the land of her birth. Even still, she missed the trees in the breeze, the old, downtrodden buildings and homes of the Eastern Commonwealth. She missed seeing the moon in the sky.

From the palace she could see earth, looming huge and blue across the entire sky. It was a constant reminder of missing her home. Of Kai.

Of missing Kai.

She sighed heavily and sunk down into the nearest chair in the throne room. It was late, after dinner service, but still various thaumantages and officials lingered around the room. They were acting like typical old-era Lunars; loud, silly, vain. Some things would require more time to change, she hoped. For the most part, it was quiet in the room, but what she really ached for was silence. An hour of complete silence, not counting when she was asleep.

A dull ache was spreading from her left temple and she massaged it gently. It had been a long day of thinking. There were meetings and contracts and signatures and handshakes. Every day she teetered between regretting her decision to dissolve the monarchy, and excitement about getting it over with. Thankfully after today, they made a lot of large strides forward in her plan.

Cinder blinked her eyes slowly and drew herself out of her head. From where she sat, she could see the ledge that faced the sheer drop to the lake. Where she almost lost Thorne, where She and Kai has made promises to each other.

"Cinder?"

She lifted her head with a welcome smile. Iko had just stepped into the room. Iko, who looked every bit as regal and human as she'd always wanted. Her blue braids were coiled up on top of her head in an elaborate updo, and she was dressed in regal silks with the traditional Lunar runes embroidered on the shoulders and collar. From the sound of her clacking footsteps, she was wearing her favorite high heels.

"Counselor," Cinder nodded, as Iko sank down in the chair beside her.

Iko's face illuminated with a grin. "Your majesty. Sorry to bug, but we got a shipment of paperwork from the Republic and they wanted a few urgent signatures."

Cinder's smile faded. She'd hardly seen Iko this week. Her best android friend had been busy briefing new staff and bouncing around the palace readying rooms and quarters for guests. She _was_ a robot after all, working was her nature, but still, when Iko was the only friend she had left on Luna, it made her feel more alone.

Well, Winter was here...but they still weren't _friends_ , per se. The rest of the crew was flying around with Thorne, probably having a thousand times more fun than she was. She had started referring to it bitterly as the "Couples Cruise," which wasn't entirely fair, considering they were on official government business. And grim business, at that. Cinder pushed aside the selfish thoughts as best she could.

"Thanks Iko. You can leave them here. I was reviewing some other stuff earlier."

With an guilty grimace, Iko gingerly placed the envelope on top of Cinder's teetering pile on the nearest low table.

"Are you doing ok?"

Cinder smiled instantly and reached for her friend's hand. Iko squeezed back. "I'm ok. Maybe tired. Stressed. And…"

Iko patted the top of their joined hands. "You miss Kai."

Cinder pulled her lips into a guilty frown. "Is that dumb? It feels dumb."

The metallic sound of Iko's laugh echoed in the hall. "Um, Cinder? He's the _Emperor_ and he basically loves you. I'd say you're justified."

"Ugh. Cut it out. He doesn't love me."

Her friend pushed aside a smile and patted her hand again. "As you say, your majesty."

Cinder scowled at her.

"Have you eaten? Want me to bring up anything? I need to go talk to Jacin about updated security plans for Winter on her next mission."

Cinder waved a hand. "Kinney brought me dinner earlier, but thanks."

Iko's nose wrinkled at the mention of her so-called nemesis. "Trying to steal my thunder," she hissed under her breath. "Very well. I'll come find you later to make sure you're not still here. Get some rest, would you?"

"Yes counselor."

Iko stuck out her tongue and retreated as Cinder returned the gesture, much to the horror of the nearest group of officials. Just as Iko cleared the wide doorway, Cinder felt her portscreen chime from her pocket.

While Iko had been disappointed that Cinder could no longer stomach long ball gowns and silks, she was all too overjoyed to arrange for the royal seamstress to come to the palace. Now Cinder wore a combination of tailored pants and blouses. Not very regal, but much more comfortable. Besides, she could conceal her portscreen perfectly!

She looked down at the comm ID and felt her stomach lurch in the most pleasant way. She quickly accepted the call.

"Hey," she sighed, too excited to feel embarrassed about how eager she sounded.

"Your highness," Kai teased voice as deep and lovely as she remembered.

Cinder rolled her eyes. "What's up?"

"I love this formal, monarch speak we have going on. Can't wait to high five you soon."

"Is that a code word...or?" She laughed at her own joke.

"Be careful or it just might be." Kai paused for a moment, letting his laughter fade before asking, "How's it going?"

This time she let out a real sigh. She felt the memories of meetings,numbers and talking wash over her. "It's going. I guess. This monarchy dissolvement is harder than I thought it would be."

"I can't imagine."

"I hope, for your sanity's sake, you never have to go through this. I had to talk about Winter's settlement today. Like what I would _pay_ her to not be a princess anymore. Winter, the sweetest girl on the planet who deals with _real_ problems every day."

"You deal with real problems," he reminded her sweetly.

"Thank you, but you know what I mean."

"I do."

She slid back in her chair and stared out the wide, paned windows. "I just wish it was the future, and I was with you."

"The future, eh?"

Cinder's eyes went wide and she felt her skin grow hot. She realized now how her words sounded out loud. "Um, you know. The ball."

"I see." Kai sounded like he was moving now. She heard the opening and closing of doors and the sound of footsteps in the hall. "Miss me that much, do you?"

She pressed the tips of her robotic hand to her brow, and laughed under her breath. "Don't make me sound like such a girl. But yeah...I do. For a lot of reasons."

"Care to elaborate?" She could hear the amusement in his voice.

Cinder bit down hard on her lip. "You know what this is like. This leadership crap. You make me feel _so_ much less stupid. And you distract me."

"Do I?" he sounded scandalized.

"Maybe a little."

"And could you go for a little of that distraction right now?"

Cinder snorted loudly, and rudely. The noise echoed around the room, drawing the eyes of several officials. "Aces and spades, Kai."

"Answer the question."

She blinked. "Well yeah. Obviously."

The door to the throne room opened behind her and she ignored it. Probably another crowd of courtiers trying to soak up as much of the palace as they could before it changed entirely. It wasn't until she realized Kai hadn't responded that she felt self conscious. She sat up straight in her chair.

"Uh...was I not supposed to say that?"

"No, that works."

She gasped and spun the chair around. Kai stood before her, portscreen in hand and wide, teasing grin spread over his handsome face.

"Kai!"

He bent at the waist and bowed gracefully. "Your magectiness."

Regulations be damned. Cinder closed the distance between them in three strides and threw her arms around his neck. Kai bent down to welcome her embrace and pressed his cheek to hers.

"Hey, babe," he whispered in her ear.

She hid her face in the silk of his shirt and breathed in deep as she silenced and muted all of the alerts flashing behind her eyes. Kai's hands moved up and down her back. It was, perhaps, the most comforting gesture she'd received since she'd last seen him nearly a month ago.

At last, she stepped back to meet his smouldering, dark eyes. " _How_?"

Kai flashed her a wide grin. "You know Torin. He can't stand it when I start behaving like a child. I was getting antsy and he practically threw me into my shuttle. 'Just _go_!' he said. So, I did. And now I'm here."

"For how long?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, a few days. We can get some actual work done too. I've got some paperwork from some of the other colonies that you might find interesting. It would be useful if I returned with at least a _few_ signatures." Kai smirked, cupped her cheek in his hand, and bent down for a quick kiss. "That sound okay?"

Cinder let out a contented sigh and wrapped her arms around him again. "Better than okay. I can't tell you how much I could use some real human contact."

Her head bobbed on his chest as he chuckled. "Human contact, eh?"

 _Internal temperature spike_.

She growled to herself and lifted her head once more. "You know what I mean!" she snapped.

"Think you can explain it to me in private?"

Breath caught in her throat as she stared at him with wide, excited eyes. "Have you been talking to Thorne again?"

"So what if I have? It's late. Let's go somewhere. I want to be alone with you."

It was a shame that "swooning" wasn't an official command in her system. Perhaps she should program it. _Swooning commencing in 10-9-8…_

As if by convenient magic, an idea popped into her head and she held him a little tighter. "I have an idea where we can go."

"Now?"

"Right now."

Kai reached for one of her hands and kissed it softly. "Lead the way, your highness."

They met Kinney at the door, who escorted them down the winding staircase to the lakeshore. He made a few arrangements over his portscreen, promised repeatedly to leave them alone, and finally backed away with his hands raised. Kai watched quietly from the walkway and eyed Cinder curiously, once she returned.

"What on Earth are we doing?"

She arched a brow. "What, afraid I'll push you in or something?"

"More like I'm afraid you're going to suggest a duel."

Cinder laughed loudly and felt an instant release of tension after the last few days. A little Kai-therapy was all she needed. She grabbed his hand and tugged him down the beach. "This way, your majesty. We're taking a boat out."

Their feet plodded quietly on the pale, white sand of the shore as they rounded a bend in the beach. On the other side, there was a small, wooden dock with several whitewashed boats bobbing along side. Each plank of the dock was carved intricately with elegant runes and swirls. The wood was practically untouched by the elements, and still retained its just-polished sheen under their feet.

She lead him to the nearest vessel, which was just as intricately decorated. The wide, wood hull was painted white and covered by a crisp, striped canopy. Inside was lined by tufted, velvet benches. Enough for at least twenty people, but for tonight, it would just be two.

Kai helped her down onto the boat and hopped lithely beside her. He watched quietly as she unwound the dock line and shoved them away from the dock. She turned on the motor only long enough to set them adrift in the center of the lake, then returned her focus to Kai, who was watching her with dark eyes.

"Um," she said awkwardly, slipping her hands into her pockets. "So, we're alone now."

Even her robot brain couldn't comprehend what was happening until she was already pressed against one of the soft velvet cushions with Kai hovering above her. His lips were... _everything_. He kissed her sweetly, then deeply, then sweetly again until she had trouble deciding which was way up. She found herself thanking the stars that the benches on this craft were conveniently wide and luxurious.

"I was stupid to think this would be easy," Kai murmured against her neck as he kissed his way down to her shoulder. "I consider us to be pretty rational people, but being away from you right now is torture."

Cinder was happy to hear that, of course, but more than anything she was relieved. She let out a deep, shaky breath and gripped his shirt tightly. "I'm so glad to hear that. I was afraid it was just me and I was being stupid. I-"

This kiss was deep, and romantic, and seemingly never ending. It made her feel wanted, desired, _loved_. As her fingers slid into his silky, dark hair, she found herself wishing away her position, yet again. She thought about his offer to work in the Eastern Commonwealth constantly. It was her daydream, her safe place, her most treasured hope. And there was more to it than that, the promise of a life with Kai, a _real_ one. Sometimes it overwhelmed her.

When at last he broke away to give both of them a chance to breathe, Cinder pressed her mechanic hand to his face. He smiled warmly at her and the caress of cool metal on his skin. "I'm _so_ glad you're here," she said. It was far more emotional and 'girly' than she let anyone see, but Kai made her feel safe. Kai made her feel a lot of things.

"I'm glad I'm here too, and glad to hear you say that."

"Did you think I wouldn't be happy to see you?"

Kai leaned to one side so he could prop himself on his elbow next to her. "No, not necessarily. It's just that we've never had time to really _be_ together without world domination looming over our heads. We've only ever been together for short periods of time, and I worry sometimes that I'm holding you back from what your life could be."

Cinder laughed. "Could be? Me and some Lunar, prancing around the palace with our glamors? _Really_?"

He was laughing too. "You know what I mean, Cinder. I just want to make sure you still want to be with me, even though we're separated by thousands and thousands of miles for now."

 _For now_. The thought made her stomach flip with excitement. Some day they wouldn't be apart, she hoped. "I still want to be with you," Cinder said, as sincerely as she could manage.

His eyebrows bunched together and he looked down at the buttons of her silk shirt. His fingers fiddled nervously with the fluttery details of her sleeve. "Cinder...I…"

More warnings flashed before her visions as her heart rate spiked in her chest. How was it possible for her body to react so violently when he'd only uttered two words?

"I spent the whole flight up here trying to decide if I should tell you this, and I never really decided. But I'm going to do it anyway."

She watched with her eyes wide as he framed her face with his hands. He moved his thumbs slowly over her cheeks and she had to fight to keep her eyes from rolling back in her head. "Maybe I'm not supposed to say this. Maybe it will just make it harder to be apart...but I can't keep it a secret anymore."

Cinder felt her synthetic heart whirring.

"I love you, Cinder." He punctuated his confession with a kiss. "I think about the moment I first saw you almost every day. I wish sometimes that I could go back and steal you away and keep you safe from everything that happened. I wish I could have saved _you_ from the hardships of your life." A wide smile broke over his face. "But maybe you're not the saving kind. I think you're stronger than that, and if I had done any of those things, I wouldn't have been able to see what you're capable of, or how strong you really are."

A sharp pain behind her eyes distracted her from the ridiculous way she was breathing. She wished she could cry, merely so she could show him how much his words meant without actually having to _say_ anything.

"I never thought I would be lucky enough to meet someone like you, and I'm thankful for it every day. I love you, and I need you to know."

"Spades," Cinder sighed shakily, as emotion clouded her throat even without the tears. "That was some speech, Kai."

"Was it?" he grinned sheepishly. "It was off the cuff. Thorne said I should try it more often."

Cinder grimaced. "Do _not_ bring him up at a time like this."

Kai leaned down to brush his lips over hers. "At a time like what?"

Her voice sounded so pathetic to her own ears. "When we finally say we love each other."

"Is that what we're saying? Excuse me, your highness, but I believe I'm the one who said the words."

Cinder wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. They didn't speak for a long time, but when they finally did, she pulled away first. "I love you, you idiot."

Kai closed his eyes and laughed hard. "An idiot!"

She groaned and hid her face in her hands. "Emotions are hard, Kai. They're not my thing!"

His voice vibrated against the shell of her ear as he said, "But you love me." His breath fanned over the skin of her neck and she shivered in his arms.

"Yes," she gasped. "I do."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-


	6. Wolf

Disclaimer: All characters and previous events belong to Marissa Meyer and The Lunar Chronicles

Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who has been reading this story. It's helped me "come to terms" with the end of a fun series. I had this started before Stars Above came out and I was _hoping_ that it would still work after the epilogue. The only thing that doesn't add up is Cinder not visiting the farm before the wedding. I'm overlooking that here. So here's a fun reunion for our favorite crew. Enjoy!

Interludes Prt. 2

Wolf

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

By the time Wolf finished work for the day, the slivers of orange evening light were filtering through the apple trees. Shadows criss-crossed over the springy grass at his feet, leaving a golden pattern across the ground. Even the sour smell of the fallen apples was pleasant as the crisp, autumn evening started to creep in.

He took a deep breath and leaned against the nearest tree, enjoying the small moment of silence at the end of a long day. The apple harvest was going to be prolific this year, and he had been organizing workers, droids and machinery all day. There was still nearly half of the orchard to cover in the next week.

Even though it had been nearly four months since he and Scarlet had left the _Rampion_ , it was still hard to believe so much had changed in the short time. When they had taken leave for the weekend, Wolf assumed that they'd be back on the _Rampion_ in a few short days. It wasn't that easy however. Aside from the piles of things to do, fix and organize for the harvest, there was the tantalizing prospect of living a life with Scarlet - _building_ a life. Just the two of them. It only took them a day on the farm to realize that their life was here. Thorne was justifiably annoyed, but Cress had urged him to carry on with just a two person crew for now. From the sounds of things, everything was going along just fine.

Months later, the thought of spacecrafts and atmospheric pressure made his stomach turn. He wouldn't give this up again, not for anything. There was fresh air, hard work, new friends and so much glorious food. Then, of course...there was Scarlet. Every day, just for him.

Sounds of other workers abandoning their posts for the day kept his thoughts from lingering too long on his mate. Someone called out his name and waved from a few rows over. He returned the gesture.

While working on the farm was fairly easy to get the hang of, Scarlet had been right about one thing; it had taken a while for various farm hands, neighbors and townsfolk to adjust to having a near-wolf lumbering around the Benoit farm. Wolf had gotten used to stares, he even understood them, but the sheer _amount_ of them had started to grate on his nerves. Eventually, what tipped the scales for the townsfolk, was how much of a pushover he was with Scarlet. Once they saw that she could boss _him_ around, they knew that the Lunar soldier wouldn't be any trouble.

From that point on, it had been simple for Wolf to get into a routine with life on the farm. They had happened to return right at the start of the summer harvest and he took on managing the farmhands, much to Scarlet's joy. Although it appeared that he had been a prisoner all his life, he _had_ led his pack for many years. He enjoyed the work of leadership and its efficiency. It was nice to do something real. Real, non-killing, no-blood-spilled work. He still enjoyed the feel of dirt under his fingernails and caked in the creases of his palms.

While he spent his days in the fields, Scarlet continued to manage the retail side of the business, and was often out on delivery runs most of the day. Each night he would walk back to the farmhouse, sore, dirty and tired, and each night she would greet him with heaping plates of food and a warm embrace.

It was the kind of life he never knew he wanted, because he never knew it was possible. During the day, his gratitude burned in his chest like a roaring fire, giving him purpose and hope. As light turned to dark and he and Scarlet would retire to bed, the fire would burn across his skin and in his veins until he was left boneless and euphoric in her arms. She was everything. This life was everything.

He smiled to himself as he pushed away from the tree trunk in the direction of the farmhouse. He could see the thin trail of smoke winding above the trees from the kitchen fire. _Home_.

When he reached the front garden, his instincts urged him to stop. He rolled his shoulder under the damp cotton of his shirt. The hair on his arms stood upright as he tilted his head to listen for movement. Only the leaves crunched under his feet. Something was different. Someone was here. Laughter inside, and a smell - the acrid smell of ozone and space.

He quickly glanced over his shoulder towards the shed where a very familiar podship was shaded by a tall elm tree. The corner of his mouth quirked in a smile and he resumed his jog to the front door. Inside was a flurry of activity and glorious smells. Chicken, herbs, french wine, coals from the fire and Scarlet. Always Scarlet.

She turned from the stove to meet him, bright smile across her face. She had a dirty apron tied around her waist and her long hair clipped away from her eyes. "Finally!" she cried, as he entered the room. She waved a wooden spoon in the direction of the guests in the next room. "I thought you'd forgotten we were having company."

He looked to his left, towards the parlor where Thorne and Cress were sitting. The Captain was lounging in the worn, leather armchair with a glass of amber liquid on his knee. Next to him, Cress was perched on the arm. She lifted her hand in a wave as Thorne raised his glass. "You're looking very carnivorous this evening!" he called, with a grin.

Wolf rolled his eyes and turned back towards his ladylove. "I _did_ forget, actually," he said, as he leaned down for a kiss.

She hid the spoon around her back and out of the way as she complied eagerly. "I've been in the kitchen nearly all day."

The pang of guilt he should have felt was lost in the roaring burn of hunger in his stomach. Sometimes his new, hybrid instincts were too hard to push aside. He groaned and hid his face in her hair. "You smell like food."

"From anyone else, that would be an insult," she laughed.

"You know," he heard from the other room. "This is my first night off in nearly four months, not that you'd know anything about that. I'd really appreciate if you didn't make me lose my appetite."

Before Wolf could object, Scarlet chucked the spoon from her hand in the direction of the Captain. He whooped and ducked out of the way, but Scarlet didn't look before hooking her arms around Wolf's neck and kissing him.

He laughed over her lips before pulling back and nodding his head towards the stairs. "I'll go clean up, then I can help. Be nice."

"It would be safer if you hurried," she said with a wink, swatting at him as he walked past.

Wolf showered quickly and changed into clean clothes. Scarlet's friend, Emilie, had been quite handy at altering human-sized shirts to fit his needs. He had a whole closet full of things now, even though the concept of possessions was still foreign. Tonight, he'd chosen a soft, long-sleeved shirt that was mossy green. Scarlet seemed to like it, and that was all he cared about, really.

Hardly fifteen minutes had passed before he stalked back into the kitchen. Thorne and Cress were chatting with Scarlet from the other room.

"There he is!" Thorne said, with a grin. "I was just telling Scar how much we could use your help on the ship."

Cress shook her head. "Don't listen to him, we're doing fine."

Wolf chuckled and leaned against the kitchen counter, next to Scarlet at the stove. "We have plenty to do here, but thanks for the validation."

"You'd rather stack apple crates than cure the world?"

Scarlet looked over her shoulder. "We've done enough flying around in space for a lifetime, thanks."

As Thorne grumbled into this drink, Wolf turned to watched Scarlet work. She added tiny amounts of herbs and spices into each pot, stirred, then tasted. Eventually she held out the wooden spoon in his direction.

Wolf raised an eyebrow and she grinned. "Taste, I haven't made this for you yet."

The spoon was hot, but he didn't care. He could taste almost every herb she kept in the cupboard, along with chicken and the earthy taste of mushrooms. Rather than answer, he bugged his eyes out of his head. He had to fight down the urge not to snap the spoon between his teeth.

Scarlet laughed and took the spoon back, discarding it in the sink before reaching for another. "It's coq au vin. I made a whole pot just for you." She gestured towards the second pot on the back of the stove.

He should have refrained himself, especially considering Thorne was watching, but she made it _very_ difficult. Instead he wrapped an unyielding arm around her and pulled her roughly against his body. "You know what I'm going to say," he hummed, close to her lips.

She was still smiling. "That you don't deserve me?"

"Yes."

"Well, you're wrong. You deserve every little thing I give you."

Even though the Captain started hollering something about common human decency behind them, Wolf bent her backwards and kissed her deeply. As ever, Scarlet didn't push him away, she held him tighter.

When he righted them both, her freckled cheeks were pink and her eyes were bright. "I'm going to guess that you think the seasoning is right," she teased, without missing a beat.

"Good guess."

She tried to hide a smile, then motioned over her shoulder. "Cinder commed me a few minutes ago. She should be arriving any second. Will you go meet her outside? I figure we should at least...escort her inside? I don't know."

He chuckled to himself. "She'll hate that."

"We should do _something_. She did save the world and all."

" _Okay_ ," Thorne cut in, finally standing from his chair to refill his glass. "We _all_ did that."

Wolf and Scarlet rolled their eyes at each other before she started and pointed over to a open bottle of Bordeaux on the counter. "Oh! Can you pour Cress a glass of wine?"

He took the glass and bottle in his hands, trying his hardest not to crush the delicate, tulip-shaped glassware in his massive fist. Cress, who seemed unsure about the wine _and_ the glass, held it steady as he poured her a small amount.

"Thank you," she said, meekly. "Scarlet said I should try French wine, but truthfully, I've never had _any_ wine."

"You'll love it," Thorne teased, nudging her with his elbow. "It's big and bold, just like you!"

Cress smiled at him and he squeezed her against his body in the chair. Wolf noted their closeness, and he liked it. Thorne was the same, but...different. The same to his friends, but different to Cress, as it should be. Wolf saw the way he watched her, and reacted, in turn. Finally, after months of knowing each other, he felt that they shared something in common.

"Better not leave her highness almighty waiting in the dark outside," Thorne prompted, eyeing the settling darkness out the window.

"Right," Wolf muttered, setting the wine bottle on the nearest table and slipping out the front door.

The same metallic "space" smell met his nose when he stepped out into the dusk. It was stronger this time, as though it had come from further away. Across the lawn a sleek, shiny Lunar podship was reflecting the last purple slivers of daylight. Steam and exhaust spilled from the rear vents as she ship entered cooldown mode. With a hiss, the ramp began to lower from the side. He paused on the lawn and clasped his arms awkwardly behind his back like a soldier.

Cinder didn't wait for the ramp to extend fully before she leapt onto the grass. She was alone, and dressed more finely than he was used to seeing her, although it was a relief not to see her in a silky gown. He contemplated bowing but thought better of it.

"Hey bruiser," she called once she was a few paces from him.

He smiled. "Your majesty."

Cinder pulled a face. "Ugh, can we drop that while I'm here? That would be the best thing ever." She lifted on her tip-toes and wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders. "It's good to see you, Wolf."

"Good to see you too," he said, returning the embrace.

When she stood back she was smiling. "You look happy."

Euphoria warmed his chest like Scarlet's cooking. "I _am_ happy."

Something flashed across Cinder's eyes that he couldn't quite place. Sadness, jealousy, longing. In any case, it wasn't something happy. Wolf gripped her arms a little tighter grasping for straws in his head. "Um, I heard Kai came to visit you."

She smiled in a way that _would_ have put a tinge of pink high on her cheeks, if she'd been fully human. "Yes, um. That was cool of him."

Together, they started walking back towards the house. A blanket of dark blue had fallen across the farm as the last remnants of daylight disappeared. The silvery grass crunched under their feet as they neared the steps.

"I didn't expect you to arrive alone," he said.

Cinder laughed bitterly. "Kinney is having a conniption, but I told him he could orbit the Earth if it made him feel better."

Wolf elbowed her gently. "I was talking about Iko."

"Oh," her shoulders sunk. "She's busy. An ambassador from the Mars colony was coming and she wanted to prepare. I feel like she has more engagements than I do, lately. At any rate, it's just me tonight."

He slung an arm around her and squeezed. "Everyone has been waiting for you, and Scarlet has been cooking all day."

"Really?" Excitement was evident in the high pitch of her voice. "Who's in there?" she asked, trying to peer through the windows.

"Thorne and Cress."

"Ugh," Cinder paused at the stairs up to the porch and glared scathingly the window. " _That_ guy."

Wolf eyed her curiously. "I thought you two were best friends?"

"Whatever. Traitor. Went and got himself a girlfriend."

Now he raised an eyebrow. "You mean Cress? _You_ have a boyfriend!"

"When did you get so about the facts, Wolf? I'm just saying…"

She looked away and fiddled with the delicate, embroidered cuffs on her blouse. He kept his eyes on her. He knew that look. He'd practically patented it a few months ago. The unconscious, soul-bending desire to be with your mate. "You wish Kai was here?"

Cinder stomped on the first step, slumped her shoulders and turned to face him. They were almost level this way. "Yeah. You're right. I do." Her sadness lasted only a moment before she smirked at him. "I should be mad at you too, if I'm being consistent."

"Please don't."

"No, I can't be mad at you. If anyone deserves someone to love, it's you." She jokingly tapped his chin with her knuckles. "I guess I'm just lonely. It's silly to feel ungrateful after everything that happened, when really we should feel happy that we're all _alive_ but..." Cinder sighed. "I'm lonely, Wolf. You all have each other, and sometimes I just really feel it, that's all. Not to mention Thorne hasn't come to see me in _months._ "

Wolf offered her a kind smile. "Well, I can't speak for him, but Scarlet organized all of this because we missed you. We missed being together."

"Really?"

"Really. She's calling it the Rampion Reunion."

She let out a little laugh, then blew out a breath that ruffled the short hairs hanging over her forehead. "I guess we should go inside then"

"When you're ready."

Cinder grinned at him then stormed up the rest of the steps to the front door. As soon as it opened, Scarlet squealed and engulfed her in a hug. From the other side of the room Thorne and Cress vacated their chair and joined the embrace.

Scarlet clamped her hands around Cinder's arms and held her in place. "You look so _fancy_!" she said, with a teasing smile.

"Iko will be thrilled to hear that. She's been giving me lip for not wearing skirts for months now."

"You don't like wearing skirts?" Cress asked. Her cheeks were already flushed from the wine.

"Have we met?" Cinder teased, with a grin, then hooked an arm around Cress's waist for a side hug. "It's good to see everyone, thank you for all of this Scarlet. You're amazing."

Scarlet grinned. "I know." She turned on the spot and went back to the stove. "Dinner is just about ready, have a seat everyone."

There was a weathered, round table in the center of the kitchen with a rag-tag collection of chairs scattered around it. Silverware was piled in the center by type, along with a stack of cloth napkins. Cress set the table as Cinder and Thorne settled themselves on opposite sides of the table.

Wolf stood at Scarlet's side as she plated the stew and set a crusty slice of baguette on the edge of each bowl. He handed them out one by one, until everyone was served but him. When he returned to the stove, Scarlet was holding out a deep casserole dish filled with his dinner. Gratitude and love overwhelmed even the loudest of his stomach growls. He'd take her in his arms if it wouldn't spill searing hot food down both of their bodies.

"I love you," was all he could think to say, as he took the dish from her hands.

"I know," she said, smiling wide and looking happier than he'd seen her in a long time. It wasn't jealousy that hit him in the chest, it hardly ever was. He felt fueled by the desire to see her this way again, and more often.

Wolf followed her to the table and took the last seat by her side. Thorne was already raising his glass in a toast in the midst of the screeching chair legs and clattering cutlery.

"To Scarlet for this amazing food and for getting us all together!"

"To Scarlet!" They all chimed in.

"And to me for getting Cress here safely-"

The entire table groaned, and Cinder chimed in with a laugh. "Oh come _on_! One person? Should I give you a medal?"

Thorne seemed momentarily flummoxed by her tone. He eyed her skeptically across the table before recovering and masking his face with his signature smirk. "Maybe. Are you offering?"

"No."

"Well then I don't know why you brought it up."

The rest of their argument was silenced by a knock at the door. Five heads whirled around to stare at the foyer. Scarlet moved to get up, but Wolf placed a hand on her knee. "I'll get it." He felt everyone's eyes on his back as he yanked open the worn porch door.

His Royal Highness, Emperor of the Eastern Commonwealth stood outside with a wide grin and his hands behind his back. He rocked on the balls of his feet, dressed in casual jeans and a hoodie.

"Soldier," he saluted with a bow of his head. "May I come in?"

Wolf was smiling too as he stepped aside and motioned for Kai to join the party.

"Sorry I'm late!" He said with a wave.

Hardly a second passed before Cinder was on her feet and in his arms. Her momentum pushed them back into the foyer and against the door. Wolf hurried back to his seat before he was caught in an awkward corner.

"What are you doing here?" Cinder cried, gripping his shoulders.

Kai flicked a strand of hair off her forehead before answering. "Scarlet said we were getting the gang back together. You don't think I'd miss it, did you? The European Union can _wait_. I can't be late for dinner with my friends and my girlfriend."

Her head fell forward against his chest as she let out a helpless giggle. "You're unbelievable."

"Am I?"

"Yes! You're _emperor_ , Kai."

Kai shrugged. "Maybe I just have my priorities straight."

"Yeah, that's true."

Thorne cleared his throat loudly. "Can we eat now, or…?"

"Don't be such a baby," Scarlet chastised, holding out a fresh plate of food for Kai while everyone adjusted to make room for the sixth member of their party. It wasn't long before the sounds of eating quieted conversation all together. Spoons scraped porcelain and groans of delight echoed off the low, wood ceiling.

"Scarlet," Cinder sighed, "this is amazing."

Wolf squeezed her knee as she said, "Thank you."

"I can see why you stick around here," Thorne said, running his bread around the bottom of his empty bowl. "Maybe you could give Cress some tips, Scar - OW!"

Cress was glaring at him from his side. "I'll have you know that I've watched several tutorials on the feeds about cooking."

"You're right," he answered, scratching his neck awkwardly. "You're, um, a natural in the kitchen."

She smiled victoriously at the table.

"Well done," Scarlet said with a nod.

It was only a few minutes before everyone had finished their servings, even Wolf. They began gathering dishes off the table.

"I'm afraid sleeping arrangements will be a little weird," Scarlet said, balancing Cinder's bowl on her arm as she reached for Kai's. "At least...assuming you don't want to sleep on the _Rampion_?" She cringed, awaiting a reaction.

"Well I _never_!" Thorne tossed his napkin down on the table for effect.

Cinder snorted in laughter. "Like you want to sleep on the ship. You've been in that thing for months now. You reek of...space."

Thorne's mouth fell open in mock hurt. "I do not. And I'll have you know, you smell like the moon."

"At least it doesn't smell like-"

"Enough!" Scarlet bellowed, stretching her arms between her friends, as though they would leap onto the table and fight like animals. Which, was a possibility that Wolf had considered more than once over the course of the evening.

"I'm just asking where all of you want to sleep," Scarlet continued. "We have two bedrooms upstairs, a pull-out couch in the next room, and a loft in the barn. Cinder, you can have our room. And…" She paused and looked across the table at Kai who was watching her already. "You can sleep in the next room?"

Kai's dark eyes shifted down to the worn surface of the table for only a moment, before flitting back to Scarlet's. His mouth pulled in a smirk. "We'll share."

All of the sound was sucked from the room and all eyes went to Cinder. She had pursed her lips to hide a smile and was doing her absolute best not to meet anyone's eye.

"Not that anyone cares right now or anything, but we'll take the barn."

Everyone glanced a Thorne who casually draped an arm over the back of Cress's chair.

"You dolt," Scarlet hissed. "There's plenty of beds in the house now, you don't have to sleep in the-"

"I said we'll sleep in the _barn_."

Cinder may have been incapable of blushing, but Cress, on the other hand, was very capable. Her face lit up like a flame and she sunk down in her chair slightly.

It was Cinder who broke the silence. "Gross."

Thorne narrowed his eyes. "If you haven't already noticed, both of you guys," he gestured to the couples around the table, "have been _all_ over each other since we arrived. I think it's completely reasonable for us to not share the same roof, thank you very much."

"Oh _please_ , as if that's the reason."

"Don't tell me how to live my life!"

"Don't you judge me for mine!"

"I'll have you know we've distributed over four _thousand_ antidotes across the Republic and I don't think-"

The loud sudden noise of a chair scraping the wooden floor halted Cinder and Thorne's shouting match. Cress was on her feet, fists balled at her side. The expression on Thorne's face changed instantly, all traces of hostility and smugness gone. His eyebrows pinched in the middle as he reached for her.

"Are you okay?"

Wolf watched as she inhaled a deep breath before turning, grabbing Thorne's face and kissing him full on the mouth. When she pulled away moments later, she sat back down and placed her napkin over her lap, as though nothing had happened. "We'll sleep in the guest room, thank you Scarlet."

Thorne was still a little bewildered. He blinked a few times, shook his head and quickly turned his gaze back to Cress. "But I thought-"

"The guest room," Cress said again, more firmly this time. She pressed her hand over the top of his. "And you and Cinder should go work out your issues, because it's getting really annoying when you start yelling at each other."

Everyone around the table shifted uncomfortably. Thorne's eyebrows had lowered, and he seemed to be chewing things over in his head. Wolf caught Scarlet's eye and they both shrugged.

 _This could be interesting._

"No, it's not his fault."

Not for the first time that night, all eyes in the room went to Cinder. She had her hands up, palms out, in surrender. "I'm sorry."

Thorne smirked. "I _was_ sort of egging you on-"

"I miss you," Cinder said, abruptly. Thorne's mouth snapped shut. "You're one of my best friends and I wish I saw you more. It's not your fault, it's just...the truth."

The room was silent. Only Kai was smiling. "You miss me?" Thorne was pointing to himself, eyebrows half up his forehead.

"Yes."

"And I'm one of your best friends?"

"Yes."

Thorne fell back in his chair with a sigh. "Well, spades. That's...really nice."

Cinder pressed two fingers to her temple. "Don't make a big thing out of it," she pleaded.

"Oh," he laughed, "I'm gonna. Get over here."

"No."

"We are _definitely_ having a moment right now. Come here."

Cinder clamped her fingers around the edge of the table. "I'm good thanks."

"Oh, _you_ ," Thorne teased and he slid his chair back. It was just a few strides to Cinder's side, where he bent over and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. They were cheek to cheek; Thorne radiating confidence and humor, and Cinder cringing. "Best friends, you guys. Take a picture."

Cress obliged with her portscreen.

"I said _one_ of the best!"

Thorne placed a loud kiss on Cinder's cheek, and let her go. "I'll tell you what, Cinder. Why don't _you_ take the barn."

Finally she laughed. "I'll keep the bed, thanks."

The whole table burst into laughter as Thorne wandered back to his seat. Cress was smiling wide at him. He wrapped his arm around her and squeezed her to his chest. His cheeks were pink.

"So it's settled then," Scarlet said, once everyone had composed themselves. "How about a game of crowns before bed? Thorne, want to deal?"

"Pfft. Like that's a question."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

It felt like ages before the sounds of feet stomping and water rushing through pipes had quieted, and at last everyone was in bed. Wolf was alone in the uncomfortable pull out bed downstairs. He had his hands folded behind his head as he stared up at the paneled wood ceiling. The sounds upstairs faded into the night, lost behind closed doors and windows. Scarlet was the last out of bed, and he heard her feet padding the way to their makeshift encampment in the parlour before he saw her. She slipped noiselessly under the covers and pressed her body against his. He took her gladly into his arms and held her tight.

"Dinner was amazing," he murmured into her hair.

He felt her smile against the skin of his shoulder. "Thank you, and thank you for your help."

"It's weird having so many people here. _These_ people, especially. I feel like we're all a little out of place."

Scarlet chuckled. "I guess so. I don't know, I liked it. I liked having people here, in this house. It makes me feel like…"

Wolf waited for a moment to hear the end of her thought, but it never came. He moved back enough to see her face and her dark, thoughtful eyes. "What does it make you feel?"

When she smiled at him, he noticed the bright, shiny look to her eyes. _Tears_. She was crying. He opened his mouth to speak but she pressed her fingers to his lips and shook her head.

"On Luna, when everything was over, I couldn't stop thinking about coming back here. Coming home. I wasn't sure what it would be like, without Grandmere. I was afraid it would be too hard and that it would overshadow everything."

"You didn't say anything," he said softly, curling a strand of her red hair around his finger. "I didn't know."

"That's because I hardly noticed myself. When we arrived, it was all about us and starting a life here. All I could think about was knowing _you_ and everything that entailed."

Wolf couldn't push aside the shy smile that stretched across his face as he remembered the first few days on the farm. The first time they made love, the first meal she made him in the kitchen, the first time he had been able to refuse food in his new body for something much, _much_ more appealing. They had spent nearly three days that way, in constant bliss. When he thought back on it now, he could hardly remember the moment when real life had kicked in. Every day after had continued to remain tender, special, romantic, and delicious (if he was being honest.)

"Ze'ev," she said his name in a low, silky voice that made his skin hum. "We've begun to build something wonderful, and I am so grateful. I think about my Grandmother every day, but living a life here with you is so much more than I had ever imagined." She pressed her hand against the side of his face, then slid it into his hair. "Tonight was the first time I compared my life now to what it was before, and it was because I was cooking for friends. Grandmere used to make stew for the workers once a week, back before most of them were droids."

"That's a very kind thing to do."

She nodded and two tears fell down her cheeks. "It was, and I always wanted to be old enough to do the same thing. And here I am, cooking for you and the other people I love in my Grandmother's kitchen." Scarlet swiped hastily at her cheeks to dry her eyes. "I'm sorry that I'm crying. I miss her all the time, but love you so much."

The fire that burned steadily inside Wolf's chest ignited and filled his body with happiness so strong it nearly burned. He lowered his head to press his forehead to hers. She snaked her arms around his neck. "I love you too."

Various events from the evening played before his eyes like a netscreen. He lifted his head with a jerk. "Scarlet, are we the most normal couple now?"

She burst out laughing against his skin. "Stars. _Are_ we?"

"I think so."

"I think you're right." She rolled over so she could rest her chin on his chest. "I kind of like that, don't you?"

"Yes. It makes me feel like less of a mutant."

Scarlet let out an exasperated groan and pushed herself forward to kiss him. "Don't _start_. Come here."

Even though the thin, lumpy mattress under the sofa was terribly uncomfortable, Wolf was grateful that an entire floor separated them from their friends. He relaxed into the sheets as she kissed him, the sound of popping mattress springs echoing off the ceiling above.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Author's Note: No, they're not having sex. Jeez, get your heads in the game, people! They're just making out, lol. Thanks again for all of the reviews and follows. This is all I have planned for now, but you never know! I'll leave the story incomplete for now. Thanks everyone!


	7. Group - The EC Annual Ball

Disclaimer: All characters and previous events belong to Marissa Meyer and The Lunar Chronicles.

Author's Note: Hi all, back again for the grand finale of this fic. All of our fine heroes enjoying the annual Easter Commonwealth Ball before the events of _Something Old, Something New._

Interludes Part 2

 **Thorne**

It was widely known that Captain Carswell Thorne was what he liked to call, a connoisseur of beauty. Some of his favorite beautiful things included: ocean shores, blonde hair, blue eyes, whiskey neat, a great pair of legs and the Pacific Ocean. Since honesty was his new policy, he had to say - he didn't find the New Beijing Palace beautiful.

Perhaps he just didn't _get_ it.

He was, of course, familiar with the style and architecture. He'd long been on the lookout for ancient Asian artifacts; they were worth a lot of money. Jade, for instance, was one of rarest stones in the world. Even still, the gilded trim, the winding gardens, the long panelled hallways; they weren't his style.

He didn't prefer the intricately detailed walls of the Lunar palace either, but those atriums did have their advantages… Maybe he wasn't a fan of "palaces." After all, he'd been trapped in a couple, imprisoned in several, and sprinted through his fair share of passageways.

No, Carswell Thorne was definitely more of a 'spaceship guy.'

There was a tug on his sleeve and in an instant, his distaste was forgotten. Once again, he noticed the hoards of people gathered around him in varying shades of silks and satins. They were all making their way down the same hallway, towards the distant sound of music and laughter, and the tantalizing promise of finger food.

Another tug on his sleeve, and a slow smile spread over his face. He had a ball to attend, and not just any ball. The Eastern Commonwealth's Annual Ball. At last, he turned to meet the bright eyes of his faithful copilot, and date for the evening. She was pointing her finger up ahead, at a wide open gallery, where tables and tables of food were laden with rows of fresh seafood.

"Look at the ice sculpture!" Cress exclaimed, eyes wide.

Her delicate, pale finger was extended towards the seafood buffet, where a tall sculpture of the palace itself gleamed above neatly arranged shrimp and shellfish.

Thorne cringed sharply. Shellfish - also off the beauty list. He pushed aside a shudder and cleared his throat.

"Trying to find a new hobby, Ace?" he teased, near her ear. She smelled like fruity perfume and new clothes. He couldn't resist brushing his lips over the exposed flesh of her freckled shoulder.

Cress clucked her tongue and nudged her elbow into his ribs. "Like I have time for a hobby that extravagant."

They paused at the table briefly so she could admire the artful display of food and gaze up at the glistening scale model of the palace. Thorne felt his lips curl as he caught various party-goers piling their plates high with oysters and raw fish. _Animals_.

"Well," he said, doing his best to ignore his revulsion at the sound of cracking crab shells. "We have plenty of empty storage lately. I'm sure we could rig something for gigantic blocks of ice."

Cress looked up at him with an eyebrow raised. "Are you trying to insinuate that I _need_ a hobby, Captain?" They continued out of the room and back into the main hallway.

With a secret smile, Thorne slung his arm around Cress's shoulders and pulled her close. The fluttery silk of her sleeves was soft against his fingertips. "No, more like trying to insinuate that you should stop working so hard. You're making me look bad."

Around them, the crowds of people continued towards the ballroom. The music was louder now, and more beautiful. He felt Cress's shoulder tense with anticipation and he gazed down at her as they walked. She was absolutely resplendent tonight. She'd been excited about the Palace's annual ball for almost a month, and now that it was here, she was practically vibrating under his touch. He had even treated her to a new dress for the occasion. (And been thanked thoroughly for the thought, if anyone was wondering.)

"Maybe I should take up dancing," Cress mused, focusing on the long corridor before them. Thorne was so distracted, he'd forgotten what they were talking about. _Hobbies_. Right.

"It's a little late for practicing, don't you think?"

He liked the look of her smug smile. "I'm no beginner, Captain. It used to be part of my exercise routine. Waltz, tango, quickstep." With a wink, she added, "Great for the leg muscles."

Thorne laughed distractedly and lifted his arm from her shoulders to take her hand. _Leg muscles_. She knew how to rile him up. "I see where this is going."

"Seeing as you already find my legs top notch, I thought maybe-"

"You've made your point," he said loudly. "We're in a public place, after all."

"I'm sure they have an atrium _somewhere_."

He was still chuckling when he stopped them in the middle of the corridor and twisted her around to face him. "What's gotten into you?"

She was bouncing on the balls of her feet with excitement. It was practically radiating out of her like sunbeams. "This is like a _date_ , Carswell."

Sometimes, Cress Darnell was too adorable for her own good. "It is, isn't it?"

"And this time, I'm not trying to hide my feelings for you-"

"Yeah, you did a _really_ good job with that last time."

"-or worry about you running off with someone's glamour-"

"Come on, I thought we got over that."

"-or in a wheelchair."

Her last somber reminder punched him right in the gut, like always. He remembered her pale yellow dress billowing around her hoverchair, and how tightly she'd clutched his hand that night. She was right, there was a certain amount of relief knowing they were there with each other, with the singular purpose of enjoying each other's company.

Thorne watched her for a moment, struck by the contagious joy she wore on her face. Her new dress was orange, like the inside of a tangerine. The skirt was fluttery and moved when she walked like flower petals. There were crystals strung throughout, so she sparkled in the low light of the passageway. He reached forward and placed both hands on either side of her face. Her cheeks burned with elation under his palms. "So you're saying you want to find a dark corner to make out in?"

Her bright eyes were shining with mischief. "Maybe."

He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Yes," she giggled. "Yes, I'm saying that."

"Incorrigible, Cress. Just an iota of manners for one night, is all I ask."

She was still giggling as he took her hand and abruptly turned them off the hallway and into another, headed in the opposite direction of the ballroom. He continued muttering to himself. "Who could possibly have influenced you to be this way? Concerned about finding a dark corner to kiss, honestly."

She was flat out laughing now, stumbling behind him as he wound them through the palace. At last, he spotted an alcove across a wide, marble sitting room. "Oh look!" he exclaimed, proudly. "A dark corner!"

With an elegant flourish, Thorne twisted Cress under his arm and into the alcove. She backed against the wall with a sly smile.

"You look beautiful tonight," he said softly, feeling the tiny thrill in his gut as he watched her eyes light up at the compliment.

"So do you."

Thorne indulged himself a slow caress of her face; one fingertip traced from the line of her hair, down her cheek to her lips. His voice was soft, even as he asked, "How long should we give ourselves? Five, ten minutes?"

Cress's hands wandered up his chest, over the navy lapels of his jacket and finally tugged on his collar. "Fifteen?"

"Oh I _have_ been a bad influence, haven't I?"

She never answered his question, instead she pulled him the rest of the way to her lips and kissed him. He wasn't sure how long they kissed, but he _did_ know that by the end of it, his hair was artfully tousled.

* * *

 **Cinder**

She was going to dismantle Iko. Piece, by individual piece.

Perhaps, banish her to Mars.

Strand her in the middle of the asteroid belt?

Iko had been so amenable for so many months. She'd graciously backed down and let Cinder wear pants and shirts. _Pants_ and _shirts_. Really, really nice ones - but still. Cinder had made exceptions for occasional low-profile gowns for the really fancy events. But _this_?

Cinder stared aghast at the icy blue dress hanging from the garment bag she'd been instructed not to open until this moment. It was long, silky, shiny, beautiful, and so _not_ Cinder.

A comm alert flashed behind her eyes and she moved it aside. Thorne had been texting her lewd comments about her sleeping situation for the past hour. Instead, she tried to focus all of her energy on manifesting lasers out of her eyeballs. Maybe the ability had been built into her system all along, and she had merely never tried to use it before.

There was a chime at the outer door to her suite and she heard Kinney shouting before the door to her bedchamber opened.

"I _know_ who you are, Iko, but you can't just barge in whenever you-"

"Best friends can do whatever they want. Get over it."

Cinder clenched her fists. She was far too stressed to deal with their pathetic attempts at not-flirting with each other.

"That's enough," she said firmly, whirling around to meet two pairs of wide eyes. "Iko, come here, Kinney get out."

Kinney's eyebrows shot up and he bowed stiffly. "Yes your highness."

"I'm sorry," Cinder blurted, pressing her fingers hard into her eye sockets. "Sorry. I don't mean to be like that. I'm mad at her. I'm sure you understand."

His mouth quirked up in a smug smile as he turned and closed the door behind him.

"Mad at me!" Iko's hands were on her waist, hip jutted to the left. Even in her official Lunar uniform, she looked like a runway model. Jealousy seared under Cinder's skin.

"Yes," Cinder snapped, pointing at the dress. "I thought we talked about this!"

Iko sighed in her exasperated way that irritated Cinder even more. "I thought you had accepted that I know you better than you do."

"What?"

Iko marched forward, took Cinder by the shoulders, and frog marched her backwards to the bed. She pushed Cinder down on the edge of the mattress, then skipped over to where the dress was hanging.

"Let me explain my thought process, okay?"

Cinder blinked, and tried her best to shove all of her annoyance into the action.

Iko cleared her throat regally. "First of all, it's pale and icy colored, like your kingdom. Symbolism is important, even in your clothes, and the whole world will be watching. If you wore red, you'd be aligning with Kai more than you already are, and we'd have a lot more questions to answer to."

Cinder grumbled and tried to pretend that was an irrelevant point.

"Second, it's _almost_ silver, a tie back to your first time at the ball. Which maybe you don't want to remember, but I think it's an important comparison. Also...Peony."

There was an instantaneous sharp and painful tug behind Cinder's eyeballs and she folded her hands in her lap. _Peony…_ "Go on," she said, looking at the carpet.

"And finally, there's Kai."

At this, Cinder's head shot up. "He doesn't care if I wear a dress. He likes me just the way I am!"

Iko held up a hand. "I _know_ , Cinder. But listen, this event is more important for him than it is for you. You'd be content locking yourself inside the palace with the Emperor for your entire visit, and that's fine."

Cinder grit her teeth in embarrassment.

"I know I'm just a robot, but I've done a _lot_ of reading, and watching, and human research. Human relationships require effort, on both sides. I know he loves you in all of your greasy, mechanic glory, but he's going to be _so_ excited to see you like this. I'm half convinced he may cry because you're so beautiful."

"Iko…"

The android walked back over to Cinder and sunk down on the bed beside her. She reached for Cinder's metal hand. "If I don't push you a _tiny_ bit sometimes, you'll wear pants and shirts forever. And that's fine...but you guys are still 'dating.' Let's not lose the romance already, okay?"

Cinder chewed on the inside of her cheek and tried to fight down her feelings. Love for Iko, most of all. Excitement for Kai's reaction, second. And guilt, because she was a jerk sometimes. "Do you really consider this a tiny push?" she asked instead, nodding her head towards the offending gown across the room.

Iko giggled and squeezed her hand. "Trust me. You wear this tonight and the world will be happy, Kai will be blown away and you might even have a good time."

At the mention of "the _world_ " Cinder's insides were seized by angry nerves deep in her stomach. She felt sick. "They already hate me…" she sighed.

Iko sighed angrily and stood from the bed, as though she was so upset about the matter, she couldn't sit still. "That was one group of morons at the landing platform. Trust me, I've been scouting the feeds, Cinder. You being here is _good_. Amazing even. I know this is hard for you, but everyone will love you for this."

Cinder covered her face with her hands.

"Kai already loves you for it."

She peeked through her fingers, and caught Iko's smug smile.

"Let me do your hair while I'm in here, then you can take twenty minutes to gather the courage to put on your dress.."

Like some sort of robotic panther, Iko lept onto the bed, settled herself behind Cinder, and somehow wove her hair into a simple and artful twist at the top of her head. The pins pulled her hair, but by now she knew not to argue with Iko's hair choices.

Iko squeezed Cinder's shoulders twice in succession, then hopped back off the bed. "My turn to get ready now. Be prepared to be floored by what I'm going to be wearing."

"I would expect no less," Cinder offered, with a smile. "And Iko...I'm sorry. I know you want what's best for me."

"I know you know." Iko lifted a hand in a wave then slipped out the door.

Cinder forced herself to leave the shelter of the bed after about five minutes. She was undressed and half encased her ballgown in ten. How she didn't scream when the door opened was beyond her understanding.

She clutched the beaded bodice of her gown to her chest like a vice. "Kinney do you _mind!_ "

Kai was standing inside her room with both hands up in surrender. "It's me," he said quickly.

Cinder stumbled on the skirts gathered around her feet. "You don't knock?"

The Emperor scratched awkwardly behind his neck. "I was trying to be stealthy, like last night. Although, in hindsight, knocking would have been a good idea, considering..." He waved his hand up and down to indicate Cinder's current state of undress.

Cinder was distracted by his mention of last night, when he'd snuck into her room and crawled behind her in bed like it was the most natural thing in the world. Kai, the emperor of the Eastern Commonwealth, was dressed in simple cotton pajamas and he'd been so _warm_. She'd forced her memory to record the feeling of his arm around her body, and had been replaying it all day.

As they watched each other awkwardly, she felt a surge of emotion in her chest. She used to feel stripped bare when they were together, as though being herself wasn't enough compared him and his shining, perfect self. Now she nearly _was_ stripped of everything, and she felt more comfortable than ever.

"Do you...need help?" he offered, bringing Cinder back to the present..

She realized that she had been standing there for nearly a minute, half undressed and clutching an open-backed dress to her chest. "I don't know, honestly."

Kai laughed and strode further into the room, to her side. "Turn around," he said gently, feather-light fingers ghosting over the skin of her shoulder. She did as he said, so her back was against his front. She could feel the warmth from his body against her revealed skin. His voice was close to her ear as he said, "I'll fasten you up."

Cinder giggled helplessly into her hand and tried her best not to completely lose her mind as she felt Kai's fingers clasp her dress one button at a time. When he finished, he slid his hands up her arms and to her shoulders. When he kissed the curve of her neck, she had the instant and unmistakable urge to have him undo her dress again. She started laughing uncontrollably.

Kai remained where he was, poised above the skin of her neck, hands on her shoulders. "Are you...okay?"

She twisted in his arms so that they were facing. "I'm great," she sighed. "You just cured all of my anxiety for the moment. And you look _really_ good."

A grin tugged at Kai's lips and he smiled crookedly at her. He pulled at the front of his silk shirt. "Why thank you. You look absolutely beautiful. How did Iko get you to wear this?"

For the first time, Cinder looked down at her dress, which was far more complicated and beautiful than she would have admitted a few minutes ago. There were tiny silver beads woven in an intricate pattern across her bodice, and icy sheer fabric that stretched across her shoulders to make her skin look like it was covered in sparkles. The billowy skirt, rippled around her ankles when she moved. "Iko convinced me. She said you would like it."

"That's an understatement, Cinder."

He kissed her in the slow, languid way he liked to save for their greetings, in private. Cinder's hands balled into fists at her side. When he pulled away, his face was serious. "I know this whole thing is hard for you, but it means so much to me that you're here. I won't leave your side all night, I promise. Tonight would be completely different than last time."

Despite the nerves that roiled deep in her stomach, Cinder was surprised when she felt a laugh bubble to her lips. "Well, I'm royalty now, I should hope I don't end up face first on the stairs."

Kai tightened a protective arm around her waist and she fitted herself against his chest. "You won't."

Cinder lifted a hand to drag her knuckle down Kai's clean-shaven cheek, to his chin. She could feel the stubble under her finger like sandpaper. His brown eyes were bright.

"I love you," she said, feeling the truth in her words deep down in her chest. "It's my pleasure to be here with you tonight."

Kai let out a breath and deflated slightly before capturing her lips in a fierce, mind-numbing kiss.

Kissing. Kissing was good.

Kai seemed to have the same idea. As he pulled away his eyes glanced quickly around the room. "We have a few minutes, do you think Iko will burst in here unannounced?"

Cinder let out a low laugh. "Absolutely."

"Do you care?"

She wrapped her arms around his neck and backed them up to the nearest wall. She felt the pins in her hair dig into her scalp as he pressed into the plaster. "Not in the slightest."

Kai's victorious chuckle was muffled by Cinder's kiss.

* * *

 **Wolf**

The weight of the tiny box was like lead in his pocket.

He felt it with every step, every dance, and every moment that he stood alone, as he was now.

It was miniscule in his hands; a mere two inch cube, encased within his massive palm. Even as it was hidden in his suit pocket, he was convinced that someone would see it, that _Scarlet_ would see it, or that someone would know what he had planned.

Once anyone caught a glimpse of the box, they would know exactly what was inside.

A diamond ring. Simple, delicate, and perfect for Scarlet.

Wolf knew that his ladylove wouldn't be swayed by a sparkly bauble. When he asked her to marry him, she would say yes or no based entirely on his character. This was, perhaps, why they were still together to begin with. Even still, he wanted her to have the ring, and to have something beautiful.

Scarlet was currently out on the dance floor, twisting Cress under her arm and laughing. Together their dresses looked like flickering flames; Cress in her bright orange ballgown, and Scarlet dressed in deep red. She'd spent hours curling her own hair in their room, and now the wide tendrils seemed to bounce and float as she moved.

He indulged himself in a dreamy smile as he watched her from afar, then bit down on the fluffy pork bun he'd escaped the dance floor to eat. In general, Wolf enjoyed most foods, but these… _These_. He stared reverently at the partially eaten pillow of fluffy dough and sweet pork in his hand, then stuffed the rest into his mouth.

His eyes were closed in food-induced bliss when he heard, "Everything is ready," in a low voice to his right.

Wolf cracked open an eye and instantly felt himself flush as the smiling eyes of the Emperor of the Eastern Commonwealth stared back.

"Cha siu bao?" he asked.

Wolf continued to chew slowly.

"Pork Bun," Kai clarified, grinning now.

He nodded.

"Cinder caught me in the same situation twenty minutes ago," he said, puffing out his own cheeks.

When Wolf had finally swallowed down his mouthful, he bowed deeply to the Emperor, and his close friend. "Thank you for your help," he said quietly, chancing a look at Scarlet to make sure she wasn't nearby. "I know she'll love that spot in the garden. It was a great idea."

Kai clapped Wolf on the shoulder once. "Come find us after, and we'll all celebrate. Good luck!"

His stomach suddenly felt like it was full of stones. ' _Good luck_.' Like it was actually happening. Before the end of the night, he will have asked Scarlet to marry him…

And she would hopefully become his fiancee.

Wolf tugged distractedly on the knot of his tie, feeling suddenly that it was far too tight, then swallowed hard and forced himself to think about something else. _Anything else_. He thought about his friends, and how Kai had said they would want to celebrate. _Friends_. Something he never dreamed he would have. These people - his former crew, and current friends - they were more valuable than any pack he'd served with as a soldier. Celebrating this joyous occasion with them would be more than he ever thought possible.

Across the dance floor, the girls were still dancing in the crowd, joined by Cinder and Kai now. The Lunar Queen stood stiff as a board as Scarlet and Cress twirled their skirts around her.

Before he could join them, a plate of two more pork buns lifted itself in front of his face. Wolf's eyes went wide and he felt the rush of saliva on his tongue.

"Thought you might want a few more before they start bringing out the desserts." Thorne was holding out the plate with one hand, while holding his own stash in the other. Wolf smiled, nodded, and relieved the Captain of the precious cargo.

"Very intuitive, Captain."

Thorne shrugged nonchalantly, as he took a bite. He chewed slowly, swallowed and finally said, "Just wait until you hear about my next intel. Word on the street is that you want to marry Miss Benoit over there-"

In a flash, Wolf had gripped the front of Thorne's shirt with his free hand and yanked him so that they were face to face. He could see the beads of sweat on the Captain's brow, and the whites of his wide eyes. Wolf's fangs clashed as his lips lifted in a snarl. " _Who told you_?" he hissed.

Thorne's half eaten bun rolled across the floor and was swallowed up by the stomping feet on the dance floor. His adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed, hands closing around Wolf's wrist trying to set himself free.

" _Does she know?_ "

The captain shook his head quickly, and desperately. In an instant, the threat was gone, and Wolf's muscles relaxed like retracting rubber bands. The increased animal instincts of his misshapen body were easy enough to fight on most days, but his current stress level was appearing to blur the line more than he was used to. Wolf released the Captain from his grip, shoved him away, and handed him another pork bun from his own plate. "I'm sorry," he offered, lamely.

Thorne's eyebrows were half way up his forehead as he took the pastry. Slowly, he looked down at his hand. When he lifted his eyes again, the fear and surprise had disappeared, replaced by his cool mask of indifference and charm. He was smirking as he readjusted the tie around his neck. "Something tells me you're on _edge_."

Wolf stared down at his feet, and the stupid shiny shoes he had to wear. "I don't want her to know."

"She doesn't." Thorne seemed too afraid to actually eat, even as he haughtily arranged his posture. "I helped Kai set up in the garden. That's how I know."

Wolf pressed a large hand to his face. "Of course. I'm sorry, Captain. I appreciate your help."

"It's fine," Thorne said, picking invisible lint off his slightly ruffled suit. "I'll expect you for an antidote run, as penance." He flashed one of his winning smiles.

In his relief, Wolf shoved the last pork bun in his mouth and swallowed it whole.

Thorne was still watching him. His voice was soft and serious as he said, "She'll say yes, you know."

The sentiment was more than Wolf had ever expected from the sharp-tongued Captain. He watched him carefully.

"I know, _I know_ ," Thorne sighed, waving a hand in the air, " Pretty sappy for a war-hardened Captain. _But_ , I like to think that after the past year I know a little bit more about love, and life."

A smile pulled at the corner of Wolf's mouth.

"Look, you're both good people. Kind, caring people. The two of you together - unbeatable."

Warmth blossomed within Wolf's chest as a full smile worked its way across his broad face. "I appreciate that, Captain."

Thorne waved a dismissive hand as he said again, "She'll say yes."

"I'll hold you to it."

They watched their friends and respective dates across the dance floor for a moment. The silence shared with a friend was comforting for Wolf now. As the song changed, Scarlet twisted around and caught his eye. Her smile nearly made his heart explode. She crooked a finger at him and he bit down on his lower lip.

"That appears to be your cue," Thorne laughed. "And I just got an idea. If Cress asks, tell her I'll be right back, would you?"

Wolf hadn't taken his eyes of Scarlet. "Sure," he mumbled, distractedly. He felt Thorne's abandoned 'cha siu bao' press into his hand. In a blink, he was gone.

He placed the bun on a passing server's tray, next to four unclaimed glasses of champagne, then quickly made his way to Scarlet. The song was quick-paced, the beat driving. Scarlet was already swaying her hips in time when he placed his hands on her waist. She looped her arms around his neck and pulled him close.

"Where did you go?" she asked, eyes bright. Her cheeks were flushed from dancing.

"I needed a snack."

She snorted. "Of course you did."

"Want to dance?" He pulled her closer.

* * *

 **Cress**

For most of her life, Cress had enjoyed being alone. Alone meant safe, quiet, and comfortable. There was no judgement, no danger, no embarrassment. On the satellite, she got to know the inside of her head and the things that made her happy; her passions, her hobbies, her indulgences. Even her obsessions…

Which lead to the next stage in her life.

 _Not_ being alone.

The moment she had finally met Carswell Thorne, she was thrown into a whirlpool of war, romance, and danger. Only for a few, horrible moments was she ever totally alone.

At first it had been foreign and strange. She found herself talking out loud when she meant to be talking to herself. She craved the security of solitude, and the protection of her most precious, secret thoughts that seemed to be slipping out of her at every turn. Even though she ached to be with the Captain, she had felt _exposed_.

Then, as their first adventure came to a close, and she had finally accepted her new life of companionship, she realized she would never want to be alone again. At least, not without her Captain.

Although no one believed her, she knew that Carswell Thorne was far more sweet and accommodating than any of them had ever imagined. He slipped into his smarmy ways every now and then, but it was mostly for a laugh. If everything she had read about romantic partners was true (which she assumed it wasn't), then Thorne was a far better boyfriend than most.

They argued and disagreed, of course, but at the end of the night, when they crawled into bed together, he would still wrap his arm around her and hide his face in the back of her hair. He was tender and sweet, accommodating, affectionate and kind. His hands on her skin made her body catch fire.

She'd been waiting for months to attend this ball with her Captain. So far, it had exceeded all of her expectations. The grandeur, the costumes, the hairstyles, her friends and their happiness, and Thorne, at her side. He'd brought her punch and tiny dumplings on a tray. They shared a plate of delicious, salty noodles. They played a prank on Torin and scampered away when he turned to find them tying the end of his jacket to the bamboo plant.

Now, however, she was alone and she was puzzled as to why.

Surely he hadn't deserted her, but this was their first big public event together since the Lunar Palace. In a way, she still didn't know what to expect.

Everyone she knew (which wasn't many, to be sure), had been warning her about his wandering eye. The fact was, she didn't think about it at all. He made jokes about it every now and then, mostly with company, but when they were alone… She had never imagined that he would be so devoted.

They had travelled all over the American Republic together over the last year. She'd seen everything he'd promised her; forests with trees taller than buildings, mountains that were covered in snow like frosted cakes, and oceans as blue as the sky. They spent a week on the beach in Los Angeles, where tall, beautiful blondes walked by every four seconds. All Thorne did, aside from reapply sunscreen on his chest about eight times, was remind Cress to keep an eye out for dolphins.

Cress grimaced and crossed her arms over her chest. For the first time that night she glanced at the guests with a discriminating eye. Were they tall and brunette? Were their legs long and thin?

 _No_.

This was silly.

She trusted her Captain, and he trusted her. If Carswell was detained, it was either because he was being stupid, or that he was in trouble.

She drummed her fingers on her arm impatiently. _In trouble_. He could easily be gagged and bound in a room somewhere for stars knows what-

"Stars above!" she heard behind her. "That took _forever."_ If she wasn't so relieved, she would have surely jumped as high as the ceiling in alarm.

"Where have you been?" she asked, trying her best to keep the accusatory tone out of her voice. She trusted him. She _did_.

Thorne's eyebrows pinched in the middle. "I know, I'm sorry. It took longer than I expected to find the DJ. He's behind a secret wall, did you know that? He doesn't actually want people bothering him. What kind of DJ, I ask you! Anyway, once I set my mind to it, I couldn't abandon the idea after I'd already invested so much time…"

"What idea?"

His face cleared of remorse, and instead became mischievous. As always, she was rendered helpless by his crooked smile. "I've already said too much. Come with me."

He took her hand and kissed her cheek simultaneously before leading her onto the dance floor and into the fray.

"Wait! I was worried! You were gone for almost an hour!"

He paused and turned enough to meet her eye. "I'm sorry Ace. I didn't mean to worry you. I would have commed you if I was in any danger - unless…"

She blinked. "Unless what?"

Couples danced around them, a constant rustling of silk and satin. They were pressed together in the cramped space, hands still clasped. Thorne's face was serious as he watched her quietly. "You didn't think that I was...that I would…?"

Before he could finish, she was shaking her head. " _No_."

"Because I wouldn't do that. I mean, I know I joke sometimes, but I don't _really_ -"

Cress stood on tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his babbling lips. "I _know_ ," she said. "I trust you. I was afraid you had gotten into trouble, or tied up somewhere. I didn't know where to look for you."

Relief seemed to slither out of his limbs. His shoulders sagged and he pulled her closer. "You're right. This palace is _huge_ , and I could have been anywhere."

"But now you're here."

"Yes, because I have a surprise for you. On your feet, copilot. I need you."

The giggle that escaped her lips was helpless and inflated in her chest like helium. He tucked her hand in his elbow and dragged them deeper onto the dance floor. When they reached what she assumed was the center of the massive room, he stopped.

"Captain," she said again, smiling up at him. "What's going on?"

This time his smile was bright, genuine and full of love. There were no traces of mischief or the facade of coolness. He was completely hers in this moment and she wrapped her arms around his waist before he backed away again. He cupped her face in his hands. "I told you. It's a surprise. A ridiculous gesture, maybe, but I wanted you to have something to remember this night by."

"I already have nearly a thousand memories," she laughed.

"Not this one. Trust me."

"You know I do."

He kissed her as the song was ending, then pulled back suddenly with a curious expression. "You weren't lying about knowing how to dance, right?"

"Of course not."

"And Quickstep, you know that one?"

Cress bounced on her toes. "It's my favorite, the satellite was the perfect size to the the promenade. But I've never done it with a partner before-"

Thorne placed his hand on her waist and moved her into position. She helplessly clutched as his shoulder as he took her right hand with is. "It's me," he said, with his most charming of grins. "I'm not just _any_ partner."

Cress shook her head and laughed. "You most certainly aren't." A loud flurry of music suddenly filled the room, and Cress recognized the overture. Her stomach dropped to her toes. "Captain! We're dancing here? _Now?_ "

"You and me, Ace."

She was simultaneously terrified and thrilled. When the overture gave way to the first verse, Thorne moved, and she followed. Their feet clacked across the marble floor as though they'd practiced a thousand times, and she supposed, independently, maybe they had. Her excited breaths caught in her throat. "How do you know how to do this?"

Their feet wove between each other skillfully and Thorne spun her out and back with the music. Her dress fluttered at her ankles in time with her heartbeat. "I have my ways," he said in a low voice at her ear. She could practically _hear_ him smile as he added, "Why, do you like it?"

"It's amazing!" she cried, as he lifted her from the ground in an arc, and set her back down. "I didn't think you knew how to-"

"You know what they say about assumptions, sweetheart." He brushed his lips to her shoulder in the briefest of moments. "Now, enough talking. Dance with me."

And she did.

Spins and leaps and fancy footwork galore. Eventually she got to their favorite part, the promenade. With their hands clasped tightly together and cheeks pressed close, they lead the way across the dance floor as the music crescendoed all around them. Cress was so excited and so in love with her Captain at that moment, she was convinced one leap would send her soaring to the ceiling.

She didn't even realize that she'd abandoned the last of the dance to wrap her arms around his neck and hold as tightly as she could.

"You dizzy?" he asked, once the music had faded away into another song.

Around them, everyone was clapping and moving back onto the dance floor. Cress gazed up at Thorne in awe. "This is what you ran away to do?"

Thorne grinned. "Of course. What's a ball without a dance spectacle?"

"I wouldn't know. I just can't believe you did this for _me._ "

He snorted. "Ace, you've been talking about this night for months on end. Who _else_ would I do it for? Aside from me. A little bit." He held up his thumb and forefinger and chuckled.

They were being jostled slightly as other guests started dancing around them, the urge to dance now renewed after their elaborate performance. Thorne backed them away from the center of the room, before they got trampled. As they came to a stop near the edge, he flicked an errant hair away from her cheek.

"I can't believe you were jealous," Thorne said with a laugh.

Cress glared up at him. "When was I jealous?"

"Earlier, when I was gone. You thought I'd left you."

Her mouth dropped open. "Because you were in trouble not because…" she paused, looked around her, then leaned close. "Not because you were with some other girl."

"Are you sure? Because I wouldn't blame you-"

"I'm _sure_." Her glare was fierce, the thundering of her heart was fiercer.

Thorne's face softened. "Well, you would be the first."

Cress snatched her hand out of his with a huff. "Why are you doing this? We just danced across a ballroom like a couple of fools. Are you trying to get me to say I think you would do that with someone else? Because I don't."

"Hey," Thorne reached for her, looping his arm around her waist and pulling her back to him. With his other hand he cupped her cheek. "I don't want any of that, okay? Although, really, _I'm_ the one who should be worried."

Cress felt the anger rise in her chest again. "What? Why?"

A smile spread across his face. "I know you're not usually overly concerned with how you look, which is something I love about you. _But_ , you look downright heartbreaking tonight and I'm not the only one to notice."

"Oh come _off_ it."

"It's true!"

"So _you're_ the jealous one."

He grinned. "So what if I am?"

"I haven't even noticed anyone else!"

Thorne raised an eyebrow. "See? Doesn't mean there's anything to it."

Cress let out a frustrated sigh. "I didn't think you were with someone."

"For just a split second you did."

Her eyes narrowed. "You want me to stay yes."

"Listen," he said, leaning close. His face was dead serious. "You've been faithfully loyal to me since I met you. I'm never worried about whether or not we're on the same side. Sometimes I worry that you still think I'm too good for you."

Cress blushed and bit her tongue, as not to answer.

"I'll tell you the same thing over and over for the rest of our lives. It's me that doesn't deserve _you_. You could have any one of these puffy, silk-shirted peacocks at this party and they would _still_ never deserve you. I would know!"

Now she turned away, too embarrassed and somewhat touched to meet his eye.

Instead, Thorne leaned close to her ear. "The thought of you feeling possessive over _me_ , even though I'm an insufferable moron who doesn't deserve you? Well, that makes my stomach drop a little bit, if you know what I'm saying."

Cress sucked in a sudden breath as she felt her skin burst into flames. She definitely knew that that meant.

Slowly, and very expertly, Thorne leaned close and dragged his lips over her cheek, to her ear, and down her neck. His lips brushed the shell of her ear as he spoke. "I love you, so much, that it makes me stupid. I'd love you even if you thought I ran off with some girl, because you are worth it, Cress. And I would never, _ever_ do that to you."

She leaned into his touch and felt tears sting the corners of her eyes. "Carswell…"

He pressed a kiss to the sensitive spot below her ear and she shivered in his arms. "So, if you want me to yourself, I'd really appreciate you saying something about it. It could work out well for the both of us."

Her eyes were closed, and she felt her entire skin prickle with goosebumps. With her heart racing, and pulse thrumming under Thorne's thumb against her neck, she opened her eyes. Rather than answer, she kissed him.

"Yes," she hissed over his lips. "Just for me. I want you all for myself."

The sound Thorne made as he kissed her hungrily should be illegal. His arms wove tightly around her body, trapping her against his chest.

"Oh my stars. _Get a room_!"

They broke apart and Cress was so dazed, she hardly recognized Cinder and Kai beside them, in waltz position. Was there a waltz playing?

Sure enough, everyone in the room was dancing slowly, and here they were, making out in the middle of everyone. Cress blinked a few times and looked over at their friends. Kai was laughing and Cinder was staring daggers at the Captain.

Smoothly and without a moment's hesitation, Thorne looped his arm around Cress's back and swept them back into the rhythm of the dance. "Have a room, thanks!" he said back, with a wide, snarky grin on his face.

Cinder scowled.

"I think we'll go there now, actually. Good evening!"

Cress gasped as he tugged her hand behind him and pulled them off the dance floor. "Captain!" she cried. "We can't just _leave_!"

They were in a hallway now, the music fading behind them. He stopped abruptly and pressed them both against the wall. He was so close that she could feel his uneven breaths against the open neck of her dress. "Can't we?"

The deep, heady sound of his voice made her head spin. "I-I don't know…"

As an answer to an unasked question, he kissed her deeply, tilting her head back with his hands. The wood panelling behind her dug into her shoulders, but she pushed it aside and grasped at the open front of Thorne's jacket instead.

When he pulled away, her lips burned. "I want to be alone with you," he growled, voice strained. "Now." His blue eyes were unrelenting as he watched her.

Cress gulped down her pounding heart from her throat. She couldn't speak.

"Unless you want Torin or somebody worse to find us here…" His body was pressed so tantalizingly close, she considered it for about three seconds.

" _Is_ there someone worse than Torin?" she asked distractedly, watching his lips. As she spoke, they curved into a wide smile.

"Stars, I love you," he sighed, shaking his head.

Cress smiled up at him and tugged him closer for one last kiss. "Take me upstairs," Cress she said over his lips, looping her arms around his neck.

He leaned close to her ear. "With pleasure." Without delay, he swooped her into his arms and ran for the elevator.

* * *

 **Scarlet**

When Wolf squeezed Scarlet's hand and led her away from the dance floor, she didn't think anything of it. In fact, when she saw that he was headed towards the open doors to the garden, she grabbed another glass of champagne of the nearest tray. It was only her second, but the fizzy bubbles tasted good on the tip of her tongue.

She offered one to Wolf but he shook his head and swallowed rather sickly. She supposed maybe he'd eaten too many fried chicken wings.

The garden was far from deserted as the stepped over the threshold, into the cool evening. Couples were seated on benches, leaning close or worse. Various groups were gathered within the bamboo clearings, speaking and laughing into the night. All the while, guards walked quietly along the stone pathways, bodies humming with anticipation.

They reminded her of how Wolf used to be; strung up so tightly that he nearly quivered at every touch like a plucked piano string. Now, even though he was a slave to his heightened instincts, he was as loose as boughs of willow in the breeze. He caught her gaze and returned her lazy smile.

"What is it?" he asked quietly, steering them down a smaller pathway, and away from the party.

Scarlet waved away her thoughts and focused instead on the dimly lit path before them. "Where are we going?"

"Just a few more paces. Away from the crowd."

She hummed a laugh. "Have some ideas, do you?"

His eyeroll was palpable, even in the near darkness. "Not of those kind, I'm afraid. With all of the guards around?"

"When have guards ever been an issue for _you_?"

"Scarlet…"

"You know, when I met you I thought you were a bad boy." She said it fondly and smiled at him.

Wolf grinned back at her, wide teeth glinting in the revealed moonlight overhead. He reached towards her, to pluck her empty champagne flute from her fingers, before setting it down on a nearby planter. His eyes were molten as he smiled at her. "It was probably all the bruises, and the fighting. I could try my hand at it again, if you're getting bored."

She clucked her tongue. "Oh please. You wouldn't be you if you weren't such a big softie."

Scarlet barely had time to gasp before she was thrown off her balance and pressed tightly against Wolf's chest in the next.

He leaned close and pressed his nose to hers. The wide grin still lingered on his face, and she was struck at how harmless it made his fangs look. "I'm _not_ just a big softie," he growled. As if to prove his weak point, he slid one of his his massive hands down over the silk of her dress until he could squeeze her backside.

She shrieked and swatted him away, springing free of his strong arms. "Wolf!"

"See?" he laughed. "Not the same, is it?"

Scarlet let out a reluctant laugh and took his offered hand so he could tug her close. He lifted her chin with the other for a slow, tender kiss. Heat flamed in her cheeks and across her chest. When she opened her eyes slowly, she met his. Deep pools of evergreen, staring right into her soul.

"No, I think I prefer you this way," she said breathlessly.

His smile was instant, and they were still pressed so closely, that she could feel the whisper of it against her lips.

Wolf seemed more relaxed now, as his warm body was pressed close to hers. She, on the other hand, was all worked up. She was fixated on his lips, and was about to lean in for another kiss when he backed away one slow step at a time.

The resulting smile was apologetic, but bright as the full moon above them.

"Come with me, just a few more steps. I have…" he swallowed, "...something to ask you."

Scarlet suspected that the tone of his voice and the hint of 'a question' should have caused her pause, but she was so captivated by the look on his face that she didn't dare interrupt.

That _look_.

Bright eyes, wide smile, flushed cheeks. He was so beautiful and happy it nearly broke her heart. To think of where they'd been a year ago, and what their fate would have been if they had never met at all...

He tugged on her hand and lead her down another narrow path until they were enclosed in a wide circle of towering bamboo. A shallow mirror pond circled the clearing, with footbridges connecting all of the paths. Slight ripples on the surface hinted at the sleeping fish below. In the center was a single bench, carved out of mahogany with soft, velvet cushions. Lanterns were nestled in the clearing, among the rocks, gravel and shoots of bamboo.

The light was flickering gold, and cast wild shadows around them. The scene made it easy to forget that there were hundreds of people on the other side of the hedge. For a moment it was just the two of them, in this perfect moment.

Scarlet looked all around as he lead her to the bench, and lowered her down onto the cushion. At last she looked at him, his body backlit by flickering candles.

"Scarlet," he sighed her name, as he often did. Then, with all of the grace and slowness she'd come to expect from him - after all that they'd been through, and all that he was - he knelt on one knee before her.

 _His knee_.

Wolf placed a hand on each of her thighs, over her dress, so that the warmth from his palms seeped into her skin. "My alpha," he said, voice low and rough. It seemed to resonate around them and inside her bones. "You've given me so much."

Scarlet grasped for his hands as an anchor. The world seemed to shift around her.

"There's been no doubt in my mind since we arrived at the farm, that we are...that _you_ are…" He closed his eyes and growled at himself in frustration. "That you're my Alpha, _and_ my mate."

She drew in a shaky breath.

"And that I'm yours." Tears shone in his own eyes, glimmering in the low light all around them. "You've never made me feel inferior to you, despite my origins and my...design." A grimace shadowed over his face for a brief moment.

"Being loved by you is a gift every day, and I never want you to doubt that I love you just as fiercely." His lips tugged at the corner of his mouth and his smile was back in full force. A tear fell over his cheek as he said, "Scarlet, I want to be your husband."

A bubbling laugh fell from her lips and she squeezed his hands even tighter.

"I want to marry you, and take care of you. I want to be the one that gets to see you every day that we have. Please," his voice wavered. "Marry me?"

Rather than answer, she fell ungracefully into his arms. Her body curved around the broad, strong frame of his chest, the inhuman shape of him, and all his scars across his skin. His sharp cheekbone dug into her shoulder as he pressed his face into her skin. She loved all of him, and everything they had shared.

" _Yes_ ," she whispered into his wavy hair. "Yes, Ze'ev."

He was careful not to crush her as he gathered her in his arms and lifted her from the ground. His breathing faltered against her, and his chest hitched against her ribs. " _Scarlet_."

"We belong to each other," she whispered against his skin. "You and me. Forever."

Even though the biggest ball in the Eastern Commonwealth was happening all around them, the night was silent except for the sounds of their hushed whispers and laughter. Eventually Wolf lowered her back to the ground, and pressed his hands to the sides of her face. She watched his eyes flit across each feature, as if he was memorizing everything in this moment. When she could bear it no longer, she stepped into him and pressed a kiss to his lips.

He pulled away abruptly and reached into his jacket pocket.

"I almost forgot."

Nestled between his thumb and forefinger was a ring, dwarfed by the massive size of his hand. A single diamond gleamed up at her, challenging her to take it.

"Ze'ev, you didn't have to…"

He laughed, like what she said was a joke. "Of course I did. I've never bought you anything before. It seemed like the perfect occasion."

Her mouth bobbed open silently, lacking words once again.

"I'll wear one too, when we get married."

Scarlet snorted. "A diamond?"

Seemingly tired of her gaping mouth, Wolf reached for her left hand and slid the ring over the fourth finger. "A ring. So everyone will know. I'm yours."

The sound of those words off his lips made her lift her gaze from the sparkling stone against her skin. "And that I'm yours."

He nodded as he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the ring on her finger.

The cool press of his fangs to her skin did something strange to her insides. "Do you want to reconsider that bad boy thing?" she asked breathlessly.

He laughed her favorite kind of laugh: big, loud, and joyous. It echoed off the stone and water around them. Then his voice rumbled against her lips as he kissed her. "Later." Another kiss. "When we're alone. I want to go tell the others."

Scarlet's heart warmed at the thought. Her friends, her new family. All here, all happy - even Iko. "Yes," she said with a grin. "Me too."

With their hands still clasped, they ran out of their clearing and back to the palace to share in joy with their friends.

* * *

 **Kai**

By the time Cress and Thorne finally showed up, the entire _Rampion_ crew was gathered outside in the garden with a makeshift dessert picnic, dancing and laughing to the music and their joy. Iko was hopping between Wolf and Scarlet like some sort of electric current. She would grab Scarlet's left hand, scream, then run to Wolf to bounce excitedly, then flit back to Scarlet, where they'd jump around and laugh together.

As their missing friends rejoined the party, Kai watched Thorne tug awkwardly at the unbuttoned collar of his dress shirt, which seemed to be missing its tie. His suit was slightly crumpled. Cress's hair was a little messy, but she looked as bright and excited as ever. Kai twisted his mouth to keep from grinning, and instead hid a chuckle in a low cough.

"Oh well done," Cinder laughed, eyeing the pair of them as they walked hand-in-hand towards their semi circle.

"What?" The Captain asked with a smirk as he ruffled his own hair back to perfection.

"You know what."

" _Please_!" Scarlet interjected, throwing her arms between them. "No arguments tonight. We're all grown ups here." With a teasing smile, Scarlet took Cinder's hands in hers. "Cinder, when two people love each other, sometimes they-"

"Oh shut up!" Cinder cried, as everyone started laughing. Thorne jokingly punched her shoulder as he walked past.

The pleasantries continued now that the whole crew was together. Kai realized how much he had missed all of them as the months ticked past. He saw Cinder more than most, of course, but there was something about being all together that was special. Eventually, Kai felt the familiar weight of his girl against his side. Cinder stood with her shoulder tucked against his, a piece of lemon iced cake still untouched on her plate. She was eyeing the festivities curiously with the tines of her fork against her lips. He wasn't able to read her face, but he could practically feel her emotional turmoil as if it were humming between them. He jiggled her shoulder to jog her out of her reverie. She glanced up at him and smiled guiltily. "Sorry," she mumbled, finally reaching for her cake and taking a bite. "This is crazy."

"What's crazy? Getting married?"

"Yes. No. Maybe? I don't know…"

Kai nudged her shoulder again. "What?"

Cinder finished her cake, then turned to face him fully. "Last year was insane. Actually insane. Sometimes I still can't believe that we're all here, unharmed, and that two people like Wolf and Scarlet are alive and together."

The sentiment was so powerful, Kai couldn't help but tug her closer. She tilted her head back to look at him as he did. "Don't you feel it too?" she asked.

He nodded, and smoothed out the sheer neckline of her gown over her collarbone. He smiled at the fluttering of her eyelids as he did so. "I think maybe I was trying not to think about it, because it felt so overwhelming," he said. "For me, this time of year reminds me of the worst kind of loneliness. I lost my father, my kingdom, and then I lost you." Cinder reached for his hand with her metal one. He squeezed it tight.

"What you said about Scarlet and Wolf - you're right. It's a fitting way to start this year. To celebrate our friends who found each other and held on."

"And us," Cinder said.

He matched her smile with his own and pressed his free hand to her cheek. "And us."

"And me!" An all too familiar voice added jovially to their left. Thorne was standing with his arms akimbo, and a wide grin. "Is it group hug time?"

Cinder's arms tightened protectively around Kai. "No. You missed the group hug."

"No worries. I'll just start another one." He wrapped his long arms around both of them for a brief moment, then stepped back. "Hey so, are you guys next, then?"

Kai couldn't help but laugh, but Cinder reach out and smacked his shoulder.

"Hey!" Thorne rubbed his arm. "It was just a joke."

It _was_ just a joke, but Kai would be lying if he hadn't thought about it. Of course, there were political hurdles they still had to navigate; such as Cinder's abdication of the throne and the creation of her new government, not to mention the social implications of an Earth and Lunar marriage so soon after the end of the war...

"He's thinking about it," the Captain mumbled, eyeing Kai with a smug grin.

Cinder's arms tightened again. "Yeah well, so am I, but that doesn't mean it's going to happen tonight."

"Or tomorrow," Kai added in solidarity.

The information seemed to please Thorne so much, he had clasped his hands together.

"And what about _you_ ," Cinder said, poking him with her pointed finger. "Marriage bells a'ringing in that thick skull of yours?"

He looked over their heads to where Kai assumed Cress was standing and a goofy, love-sick grin spread over his face. "Maybe."

Kai and Cinder exchanged a look before Thorne snapped his guard back in place. "Anyway," he said, gaze shifting to the surrounded party. "Anywhere a man can get a whisky around here?"

"I've got a round of champagne coming, for a toast, actually. We were waiting for you." As if on cue, two ushers arrived with a tray of tall, thin glasses and two bottles of the finest sparkling wine from the palace's cellars.

"Is champagne too high class for your taste?" Cinder teased.

Thorne gave her a withering look then pinched her side, before stepping away to help pass around glasses. Once the ushers stepped away with a bow, the friends formed a circle around their newly _affianced_ friends. Wolf and Scarlet stood awkwardly in the middle with pink cheeks and wide smiles. Wolf's arm was draped over her shoulders as he lifted his glass high. They raised their glasses in unison.

"Thank you, friends," the soldier said in a low voice. "I think maybe Scarlet would have preferred if I did this in private." He eyed her with a chuckle, "But I couldn't resist the opportunity to have all of you with us."

Scarlet tugged on his shirt collar until he bent down for a kiss.

"To Scarlet," he said when she released him.

Their clinking glasses sounded like delicate bells as they echoed across the gardens. Everyone smiled appreciatively as they sipped the cool, bubbly wine.

"Let me go first," Cinder said bravely, albeit awkwardly. "I…"

They watched her quietly.

She cleared her throat. "I was just telling Kai about what this ball means to all of us. It's an anniversary of... _everything_. Of the war and finding each other." She laughed to herself. "I mean, how stupid is it that we _all_ fell in love on the same mission?"

From across the circle, Thorne arched his eyebrow in her direction.

"Sorry. Decidedly _not_ stupid. But it _is_ amazing. And special." She turned to face Scarlet. "Scarlet, Wolf, I've always been rooting for you. You've faced so much adversity and tragedy, and I'm so pleased and honored to know that you have both persevered together."

Kai could tell from the tightness of her voice, that Cinder was struggling through her incomplete emotional capabilities. Her throat was tight, but no tears would come. Perhaps in this occasion, she was glad for that.

"I love you both so much. I love you _all_ , but I'm so excited for the pair of you. Congratulations."

"Congratulations," they echoed, as they lifted their glasses once more. Wolf handed his glass to Scarlet and lifted Cinder off the ground in a hug.

Cress stepped forward next, smiling sweetly and shining bright pink in the moonlight. "The night of the engagement party, when we, um, kidnapped Kai…" There was a low rumble of laughter and Kai rolled his eyes. "Wolf and I were partnered together, masquerading as guests at the party. As we were driving up to the palace, I asked him about you, Scarlet. He called you his _Alpha_ , and I asked if you were like his star. Our metaphors were crossed at the time, but that's how I see you both. The brightest stars in your constellation, shining for each other. Thank you for guiding the way for all of us."

Another wave of cheers and sips before Iko lifted her glass above her head. "To true love!" she cried, bouncing on her toes. At this, they all emptied their glasses and, much to Cinder's dismay, engaged in another group hug. Kai reveled in it; the feeling of family and togetherness that he'd come to treasure. He felt tiny Cress to his right, Thorne's hand on his shoulder, Scarlet's laugh and yet somehow Wolf's massive arms seemed to encompass them all.

Eventually they all paired off again, too content to go inside, even though the night had started to cool significantly. Cinder and Iko were talking animatedly to one side, while Wolf, Scarlet, Thorne and Cress conversed on the other. Kai settled down onto a bench and watched them all.

He watched the way that Thorne was silent, for once. He had Cress in front of him, and one arm wrapped around her chest and shoulders. As she enjoyed a plate of cream puff pastries, and asked as many details about the engagement as she could, he stood with his forehead pressed to the back of her head. Most would probably assume that he was tired and practically asleep, but Kai could see the smile on his face.

Cinder caught his eye after that, even though Iko was in the middle of retelling how she'd found Cinder's ball gown (which Kai would never get over, by the way). His cyborg girlfriend excused herself as politely as possible and walked over to stand before him. She brushed some of his too-long hair off his forehead, cool thumb brushing over his skin. Kail closed his eyes and smile to himself.

"You okay over here?" she asked.

"Mmmmm," he hummed, keeping his eyes closed. "Look at Thorne."

Cinder twisted her glance over her shoulder, then snorted. "Is he _asleep_?"

Kai shook his head. "No. He's just happy."

"But he's so _still_."

He tugged on one of her hands so she slipped gracefully into his lap. She draped an arm around his back for balance. "I guess that's sweet," Cinder admitted eventually. "I kind of feel bad for staring." She turned back to smile at Kai. "I've never seen him like that before."

"You know what this means, right?" he asked.

Her eyes shifted heavenward as she considered the question. "That we're going to be the last ones engaged?"

"No!" he said with a laugh.

"That he's cured?"

"That we need to get Iko and Kinney together as soon as possible."

Cinder let out a low groan. " _No_. I have too much on my plate. I can't handle that."

"Don't you think it would work?" Kai had been fighting this battle for months. He was beginning to think he was the only one who was rooting for that relationship.

She smiled sweetly at him. "I admire your dedication. I think maybe, eventually, something may come of it. But...you dating _me_ was a pretty big step for the world. A Lunar man dating a full android, _even_ if she has a creepily growing emotional mind? That might be too much for even me to handle."

"Bah," Kai grumbled, waving a hand. "I bet Princess Winter will agree with me."

"Winter will agree with _anyone_. But you're right. I'm sure she'll help you."

They watched their friends in silence for another few moments, before Kai asked, "Are you having fun tonight?"

Cinder nodded, still staring ahead. "I really did. You and Iko were right. This dress was perfect, _you_ are perfect, and you didn't leave my side all night. Well, except for setting up stuff for Wolf, but I forgive you for that."

He kissed her shoulder. "Think you'll come back next year?"

She smiled at him and leaned in for a kiss. "Chances are good, I'd say."

The music inside the palace had struck up once more, and Kai suddenly wanted nothing more, than to dance with his girlfriend. "Up for another dance with me, Your Majesty?"

Cinder didn't even look hesitant as she nodded and took his hand. "It would be my pleasure, Your Highness."

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you all for reading this little fluff-fest. I wrote it to deal with the end of a treasured series and enjoyed it so much. Excited for the upcoming _Heartless_! Thanks for stopping by!


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